While US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was deliberating with the Pakistani establishment over terror strikes in Mumbai and alerts were being sounded about possible aerial strikes by terrorists, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister A K Antony were holding discussions with Congress legislators in Maharashtra to choose a successor for Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. But despite a marathon meeting, Antony and Pranab Mukherjee, who had come down to Mumbai as Congress observers, said the decision had been deferred to Friday.

There has been plenty of suspense and drama regarding Deshmukh’s replacement, with the names of Revenue Minister Narayan Rane, Industries Minister Ashok Chavan and Kopargaon MP and former Union minister Balasaheb Vikhe Patil emerging as contenders for the top job.

But the wait has not yet ended. “We had consultations with the members of the Maharashtra legislature today. A total of 97 members were present. We talked to each of them individually. But even before that members unanimously passed a resolution requesting the Congress president (Sonia Gandhi) to decide on the replacement for Deshmukh who has resigned. We will be briefing her tomorrow early morning and then formally making an announcement about the CM,” said Pranab Mukherjee. Hectic lobbying also took place between the various groups within the party throughout the day and names like Co-operation Minister Patangrao Kadam also cropped up.

The Rane camp was initially upbeat as the name of Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde dropped out of the race, but later, as news channels began to air news flashes of Ashok Chavan being appointed as Chief Minister before it was formally announced, tension mounted in the Rane camp.

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