The chief minister of the Indian state of Maharashtra has offered to resign after his deputy stepped down over the devastating attacks on the state capital Mumbai.
"I have offered to resign," Vilasrao Deshmukh told reporters on Monday.
"If the responsibility of the attacks is on the chief minister, then I will go. The final decision is with the high command," he said, referring to the leadership of the ruling Congress Party.
Shivraj Patil, India's home minister, has already stepped down - the first political casualty of the attacks - with analysts warning of more resignations in the coming days.
Manmohan Singh, the prime minister, has said that martime and air security will be strenghtened, with the elite National Security Guard receiving four new regional hubs, including Mumbai.
The ruling Congress Party will have one eye on General Elections due next year and therefore will want to be seen to be acting swifty and strongly.
Meanwhile, the death toll from the attacks - that began on Wednesday and lasted for 60 hours - has been revised down to 172 from initial estimates of 200 dead. More than 200 others were injured in the three-day seige.
Residents of Mumbai began to return to normal life on Monday, with schools and businesses re-opening and traffic once again clogging up the streets.