BLACKBURN Rovers were plunged into further chaos last night amid widespread reports that deputy chief executive Paul Hunt had left his post.

Sources told the Lancashire Telegraph yesterday morning that Hunt had departed after the explosive email he wrote to owner Mrs Desai in December calling for boss Steve Kean to be sacked was leaked.

But Rovers had last night yet to confirm his departure.

However, Indian sources and club insiders were adamant about Hunt’s exit, with the news understood to have been delivered by phone from India.

Hunt was the individual charged with running the club on a day to day basis. With no chief executive in place, his absence leaves the club without a leader on the ground and seemingly thrown into further turmoil.

Hunt was seen driving away from Ewood Park yesterday morning and was unavailable for comment, although it is believed he and the club were still in discussions to finalise the details of his exit.

A Rovers spokesman said they were waiting to hear news from the owners and that they were unable to confirm or deny his departure.

Ewood Park staff were shocked by news of his exit. Some of his colleagues were understood to be increasingly concerned about events that appear to be unfolding at the club.

Some board members were understood to have met late yesterday afternoon in emergency talks as they looked for answers themselves about what is happening at Ewood and their own futures.

They were all unavailable for comment last night.

Meanwhile boss Steve Kean has insisted that owners Venky’s are ‘100 per cent’ the right owners for the club, after promising ‘exciting times ahead’.

He said he and the owners were here for the long term and that Rovers were as financially stable as they have been for a long time.

The leaked email written by Hunt called for Kean to be sacked as part of a ten-point plan to save the club.

He sent the 2,500 word email to club matriarch Mrs Desai stressing the need for change on December 21, two days after the Lancashire Telegraph called for Kean to be sacked.

In a sweeping commentary that revealed the chaos at the club, Hunt also wrote of financial problems, the loss of fans at an alarming rate and he appealed for Venky’s to communicate more.

It has been suggested that Hunt has paid the price for the letter being leaked but the Lancashire Telegraph can confirm the email was not released by him.

Kean declined to comment on Hunt’s letter He said: “If that is the case then you know its disappointing – for my point of view and I think what everybody will see is that I’ve got full backing of the owners the full commitment of all the players.

“The owners are here for the long term and so I am so the only task now is to finish off the season the best we can and with a positive result and really build a squad and make sure we can be competitive as we can from the first game.”

“I've actually not read the email, I know it's out there and people are telling me little bits of it, I'll take time if I ever get my copy of a full version of it.”

Hunt was appointed deputy chief executive in May 2011, after the departure of former chairman John Williams earlier in the year.