Leaders across the political parties today recalled late R R Patil with NCP chief Sharad Pawar noting that Patil initiated cleanliness campaign in Maharashtra much before Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched his Swachch Bharat campaign.

"The cleanliness drive which the PM has initiated was introduced in Maharashtra by Patil (when he was rural development minister) in 1999," Pawar said at the all-party condolence meeting for the departed leader here this evening.