Sanjay Deshmukh, who was asked to step down from the Mumbai University vice-chancellor's post in 2017, is in the running for the top post at one of the state's leading universities - Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU). He is among the 27 candidates shortlisted for the post by the university's vice-chancellor selection-cum-search committee. Their interviews are scheduled on May 18 and 19 in Mumbai.