Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today (Dec 15, 2003) scotched reports that Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal has resigned.

"Bhujbal has not resigned," Shinde, told to a news agency over telephone from Nagpur, where he is attending the winter session of the State Legislature. The Chief Minister's denial came when his attention was drawn to the reports in this regard.

The reports about Bhujbal putting in his papers intensified, after the prominent Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, who is under attack from the Shiv Sena-BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) Opposition in connection with the multi-crore fake stamp paper racket, got admitted to a city hospital following complaints of "chest pain".

Earlier, there were media reports that Bhujbal, who also holds Home Ministry, might be asked to step down, in view of the saffron combine's onslaught against him in connection with the stamp scam.

Bhujbal, who was in Nagpur for the winter session, flew back to Mumbai this morning (Dec 15, 2003) and was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital. "An ECG (electro-cardiogram) was taken and his condition is stable," hospital sources said.

Bhujbal is in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital and attended by a team of doctors led by Dr A P Mehta.

The Deputy Chief Minister also had a check-up at a Nagpur hospital last evening after he complained of high blood pressure. The doctors had advised him to take rest.

PTI



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