Maharashtra [ Images ] unit chief of the Nationalist Congress Party, R R Patil [ Images ], will be the state's next deputy chief minister.

The decision was taken at the party's headquarters in south Mumbai [ Images ] on Friday afternoon, where the MLAs cast secret ballots.Patil, who represents Tasgaon in Sangli district, beat Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil to the post.

Patil currently is the home minister in the Congress-NCP government.