By IANS,
Mumbai : The Mahrashtra government Tuesday announced three-day state mourning following the death of union minister and former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.
However, Governor K. Sankaranarayanan and Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan will unfurl the national tricolour Wednesday in Pune and Mumbai, respectively, on the occasion of the country’s 66th Independence Day.
Chavan will also deliver the traditional I-Day speech and the national flag will fly at full mast, an official from the chief minister’s office told IANS.
The following day onwards, the flag will be flown at half-past as a mark of respect to Deshmukh, a two-time former state chief minister.
The governor has already cancelled his customary ‘at home’ gathering at Raj Bhavan on account of Deshmukh’s demise.
Details of the mourning period and related issues are expected to be announced later by the state protocol department, the official said.
Deshmukh, 67, passed away in a Chennai hospital this afternoon following prolonged illness.
His cremation is scheduled to be held Wednesday in his native village Babhalgaon in Latur district, around 475 km from Mumbai.