Lalit Modi row: Sushma Swaraj, Vasundhara Raje need not quit, asserts BJP

New Delhi/Jaipur: Battling a major crisis over former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi revelations, BJP president Amit Shah discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi damage-control measures amid mounting demands for the removal of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

Despite the Opposition’s pressure to sack both Ms Swaraj and Ms Raje, the BJP officially backed both its leaders notwithstanding the Congress’ threat that it will disrupt the Monsoon Session of Parliament if these two leaders are not removed before that.

Rejecting demands for both leaders’ resignation, the BJP insisted that there was “no technical or legal basis” for it. The BJP claimed the documents which appeared to show Ms Raje had allegedly favoured an immigration plea Lalit Modi to the British authorities were yet to be verified.

Mr Shah, who had gone to the PM’s residence along with a delegation of farmers on Thursday evening, stayed back for a detailed discussion with Mr Modi on the issue.

Ms Raje, meanwhile, cancelled her planned Friday visit to Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, where she would have come face-to-face with Mr Shah for the first time after the controversy broke. Her office claimed she was advised by her doctors to rest as she was suffering from a back pain.