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Cutting across party lines, leaders of various political outfits condoled the demise of Union Minister and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who passed away at a Chennai Hospital today. "Vilasrao Deshmukh was a very nice person. He would take along everybody together. He was friend to every party. He was a cheerful person. He has done good work in Maharashtra . I don't think there is anyone to replace him, said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain. "Deshmukh's demise is a great loss to everyone. He was a very old friend of mine. This news is very shocking. This day comes into every person's life. But the way this happened with him, its very unfortunate .My deep condolences to his family," said JD-U chief Sharad Yadav. CP-I leader D. Raja said: "This is a really sad incident. There was hope that he will recover, but ultimately he passed away. I convey my condolences to his family." Deshmukh, 67, breathed his last at Chennai's Global Hospital and Health City following multiple organ failure at 1.40 p.m. on Tuesday. His last rites will be performed on Wednesday at around 4 p.m. at his native place Babhalgaon in Latur District, Maharashtra . The national flag will fly at half-mast out of respect for Deshmukh. Deshmukh, who was on life-support while undergoing treatment for a serious liver ailment and multiple organ failure, was admitted to the hospital on August 6. And the doctors had been planning to retrieve the liver from a donor at the hospital for him. Vilasrao Deshmukh, who previously held the posts of Minister of Rural Development and Minister of Panchayati Raj and Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, was a Maratha leader from Latur, Maharashtra . Deshmukh was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra twice, from 1999 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2008. He was earlier undergoing treatment at Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai for about a week and had to be shifted to the super speciality hospital in Chennai due to a deterioration in his condition. His wife Vaishali Deshmukh and three sons survive Deshmukh.

Leaders mourn Vilasrao Deshmukh's death