Who Is Dilip Walse Patil? Know All About New Maharashtra Home Minister As Anil Deshmukh Quits

There are speculations that Dilip Walse Patil may take over as next Maharashtra Home Minister after Anil Deshmukh has quit the post. Born on October 30, Patil is a six-time member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, who is currently serving as excise minister and minister of labour department under Maharashtra government.

Hours after Anil Deshmukh tendered his resignation from the post of Maharashtra Home Minister on Monday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray  forwarded his letter to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and also informed that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Dilip Walse Patil will have charge of Home department now.  

As quoted by news agency ANI, the office of Maharashtra CM in a statement said that Dilip Walse Patil's Labour department charge is being given to Hasan Mushrif as additional charge and state Excise Department will be looked after by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. 

Who is Dilip Walse Patil?

Born on October 30, Patil is a six-time member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, who was lately serving as excise minister and minister of labour department in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government.

Known to be a close associate of party President Sharad Pawar, Patil in the past has also served as a minister with different portfolios such as Finance and Planning, Energy, Higher and Technical Education, and Medical Education.

Coming from a political family, Patil started his political career as a PA to Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar. In 1990, he became a member of Maharashtra legislative assembly for the first time after defeating Kisanrao Bankhele in Ambegaon.

Anil Deshmukh Resigns After Court Orders CBI Probe

Deshmukh submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray after the Bombay High Court directed CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry into corruption allegations levelled by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

Deshmukh in his letter explained that he is resigning with his own will and owing to the honour of the post he was on. "I don't have the moral right to continue in office after the court order. I have decided to quit. Kindly relieve me from my post," Deshmukh said in the resignation letter, a copy of which he posted on Twitter. 

The Bombay High Court bench has ordered the probing agency not immediately register an FIR in the case but to conduct a preliminary inquiry in accordance with law and conclude it within 15 days. The court also said that Anil Deshmukh is the Home Minister and no impartial probe can be done by the police.