Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has come to be known in party circles as a “lucky” man. Every time Narayan Rane mobilises support and it seems a decision on Deshmukh’s removal is imminent, some extraneous factor comes into play to save the CM. In September-October last year when Rane, along with his supporters, first came to New Delhi to put pressure on Sonia Gandhi, a decision was deferred in view of the possibility of the Left parties pulling the rug on the nuclear deal. As Rane built up the tempo again in November, Assembly elections in neighbouring Gujarat saved the Maharashtra CM. On January 2, NCP chief Sharad Pawar was to meet Sonia and take a decision on Deshmukh’s fate. But the Maharashtra CM got yet another reprieve: this time courtesy Sonia’s hospital stay.