Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi today visited Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh's native Babhalgaon village in Latur and paid their last respects to the departed leader. Both Dr Singh and Gandhi laid a wreath on the wooden casket, in which Deshmukh's body rested.

Gandhi went up to Deshmukh's wife Vaishali and consoled and hugged her. Singh spoke to Deshmukh's son Amit and consoled him. Both the PM and the UPA chairperson sat with the family for a few minutes before leaving.

Governor K Sankarayananan, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, his deputy Ajit Pawar, AICC in-charge of the State Mohan Prakash, State Congress chief Manikrao Thakre, Union Minister Mukul Wasnik and Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajiv Shukla accompanied the PM and Gandhi.