Vilasrao Dadoji Deshmukh (born May 26, 1945) is an Indian politician from the economically backward Marathwada region of the state of Maharashtra. He is the Chief Minister of Maharashtra (Term: October 2004 - October 2009). He is from the Congress party.
He has been a minister in various governments in Maharashtra from 1982 to 1995 holding portfolios of revenue, cooperation, agriculture, home, industries and education.
He became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 1999 but had to step down in January 2003 and make way for Sushilkumar Shinde, a prominent Dalit face of Congress, following factionalism in the state unit of the party.
