Senior Congress leader Mukundrao Bhujbal Patil died early this morning. He was 83. He is survived by four sons and two daughters. Mukundrao was on his way to Mumbai from Pune when he felt pain in his chest. He was admitted to a private nursing home in Thane, where he was declared dead on admission. Mukundrao had planned a programme to celebrate Congress leader S K Patil's centenary next year.

Petition against Sonia withdrawn

The Bombay High Court today allowed two BJP leaders to withdraw their public interest litigation (PIL) which raised a question whether AICC president Sonia Gandhi, being of foreign origin, was legally eligible to become prime minister. Vacation Judge D K Deshmukh allowed withdrawal of the petition with liberty to file again after the petitioner's counsel R V Bhasin informed his clients were doing so in view of the existing political scenario and also because they wanted to amend the petition. The petition was filed by BJP MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodhaand general secretary of BJP Yuva Morcha Vishal Vinod Sharma.

PSU workers threaten stir

Employees of public sector undertakings (PSUs) of Maharashtra have threatened to launch agitation if the state government fails to implement the Fifth Pay Commission's recommendations. The PSU workers under the aegis of the Maharashtra State Public Sector Undertakings Employees' Mahasangh said they will stage hunger strikes, protest morchas, demonstrations at all divisional head offices and at Mantralaya.

Tawre chief of Thane Congress

The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has appointed Gurunath Tawre as acting president of the Thane District Rural Congress Committee in place of R C Patil, who has resigned in support of rebel Congress leader Sharad Pawar.