Thousands of grieving supporters and family today bade a tearful adieu to Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh whose mortal remains were consigned to flames at his native Babhalgaon village from where he began his political journey as an obscure sarpanch four decades ago.
A sea of humanity, including hundreds of moist-eyed women,converged here, on the outskirts of district town of Latur, for the lastglimpse of the illustrious son of the soil who rose in their midst to stride thecorridors of power in Mumbai and Delhi.
In attendance were a galaxy of leaders including PrimeMinister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Union ministersSushilkumar Shinde, Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel, Vayalar Ravi, Rajiv Shukla,Mukul Wasnik, Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan, Chief MinisterPrithviraj Chavan, his deputy Ajit Pawar and a host of Bollywood personalities.
Since soft-spoken Deshmukh never allowed politicalaffiliations to come in the way of friendship, rivals like BJP president NitinGadkari and party's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde were alsopresent. So were Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and former Karnatakachief minister Dharam Singh.
The last rites were performed by Deshmukh's eldest son andLatur town MLA Amit at a family farm close to where his father DagdojiraoDeshmukh was cremated.
Deshmukh, 67, died yesterday at Chennai's Global Hospitalfrom serious liver ailment, a week after he was flown in an air ambulance fromMumbai in a critical condition.
Earlier, a solemn-looking Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhiplaced wreaths on the casket carrying the body of Deshmukh, state's tallestCongress leader and twice chief minister, at Dayanand Vidyalaya where it lay instate for public to pay their last respects.
Gandhi walked up to Deshmukh's widow Vaishali, who foughtback tears, and held her in comforting embrace as the Prime Minister offeredhis condolences to the departed leader's son Amit. Deshmukh's teary-eyed familymembers, including his wife, actor son Riteish and Dheeraj, acknowledged withgratitude the condolences with folded hands.
Huge crowds had begun descending on Latur town since earlymorning with thousands lining up the road from the airport to Babhalgaon hoursbefore Deshmukh's body was flown in by a special Indian Air Force plane.
In a reflection of Deshmukh's popularity, the mournersblocked the road and stopped the motorcade at several places to have one lastglimpse of the leader. It took the convoy almost two-and-a-half hours totraverse the 14 km distance from airport to Deshmukh's village.
Police had to use batons to keep the milling crowds undercontrol as they surged near the stage where the coffin was kept at Babhalgaon.
Shops and commercial establishments in Latur downed shutterssince yesterday soon after the news of Deshmukh's demise broke.
In a spontaneous outpouring of grief, several women, somecarrying babies in arms, broke down uncontrollably at the Dayanand Vidyalayawhere their beloved leader's body was kept.
Deshmukh's body was taken to his ancestral house DeshmukhGadhi for close family members to bid the final goodbye.
Chants of "Vilasrao Deshmukh amar rahe" and"Jab tak suraj chand rahega Vilasrao tera naam rahega", rent the airas Amit lit the funeral pyre at the family farm 'Ambyache Raan', the finalresting place of Babhalgaon's most famous son.
