Ever since Sonia Gandhi led from the front in Gujarat, Congress leaders have been trying to let her know they have been right behind her. So when he was in Delhi for the National Development Council meeting, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh made it a point to call on Gandhi with a detailed account of his Gujarat campaign. Given the close economic links his state has with Gujarat, Deshmukh had a role to play this election. And he wanted Gandhi to know just that. In 2002, he had been accused of not doing enough for the party’s Gujarat campaign. This time, he wasn’t going to allow any such talk and decided to brief Gandhi personally. But Deshmukh eventually had no time to pat himself — Narayan Rane’s resignation threat was the reality check back home.
