BJP paints Lalit Modi clean to save Vasundhara Raje

Bengaluru: With a host of BJP spokespersons trotted out to paint former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi as a victim of the previous UPA government rather than a fugitive from justice, the Rajasthan chief minister, Ms Vasundhara Raje appears to be on much stronger ground, despite documents filed before the Election Commission that show her as the beneficiary of investments of over Rs 11 crore made by the tainted IPL ex-commissioner in her son's company, at a high premium.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that a crisis meeting to discuss the damage to the party's image was convened with Union finance minister, Mr Arun Jaitley on Friday holding separate meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president, Amit Shah. The BJP president later met separately with the Prime Minister to discuss party's strategy on the Raje issue.

The Rajasthan CM is set to arrive in New Delhi on Saturday to attend the meeting of NITI Aayog.  The controversial affidavit in question was filed by Ms Raje before the Election Commission, which show that she had 3280 shares in Niyant Heritage Hotels, owned by her son Dushyant Singh, an MP. Lalit Modi had invested over Rs 11 crore in this company at a huge premium of over Rs 96,000 per share of Rs 10.

The Rajasthan BJP President Ashok Parnami rebutted by claiming that these shares had been "gifted" to her by Dushyant Singh and his wife Niharika. BJP leadership, adopting a wait and watch plan, can do little against the "power she wields in the state," a senior BJP functionary said.