Adik takes over Rane's role

Just as Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is cementing his position after his rival camp in the state Congress suffered serious jolts in the form of the exit of Margrat Alva and decline of Narayan Rane, a new rebel has emerged in the scene in the form of veteran state Congress leader and former PCC chief Govindrao Adik.

This senior Maratha leader reached Delhi on Wednesday just as the chief minister is set to shuffle his cabinet and alleged that ���party loyalists ��� were being neglected in the state and warned the high command of a serious trouble in the party if those who ���surround��� Sonia Gandhi continue to mislead her.

Maintaining that there ���was growing restlessness among loyalists��� , Mr Adik, a critic of Mr Deshmukh, said due to those ���who are surrounding party Chief Sonia Gandhi��� , there ���is a decline in the ideology, traditions and culture of the party which is taking its toll electoral and causing ���growing restlessness���.

His meeting coincides with the chief minister taking up with the high command the long-pending issue of cabinet reshuffle. Mr Adik told reporters that ���Those who have been advising the party chief are responsible as also their deputies in the states���.