Lalit Modi row: Vasundhara Raje denies meeting BJP MLAs to build pressure on central leadership

As the opposition Congress raised its pitch for her resignation for supporting the case of Lalit Modi- an alleged absconder from Indian law-before UK immigration authorities, the chief minister denied she met 120 party MLAs at her residence in a purported bid to garner support and build pressure on the central leadership.

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“The reports that she got 120 MLAs to sign a letter to the central leadership in her support are baseless and misleading. Raje meets MLAs and party workers at her residence every Friday. Everything being said in the media is false,” a statement issued by her office said.

Accusing some TV channels of airing unverified, speculative news stories, Raje’s press advisor Mahendra Bharadwaj said it was an attempt at maligning her political reputation. He also denied that the chief minister had called up MLAs asking them to prove their loyalty and come out in her support.

Raje, who had canceled her scheduled visit to the UK for her pet Resurgent Rajasthan project, is expected to leave for Delhi on Saturday morning to participate in the meetings of the NITI Aayog.

While she had earlier denied any knowledge of the undertaking she had purportedly given UK authorities in support of Lalit Modi’s immigration applictaion, on Thursday, Raje reportedly admitted to having signed the affidavit.

“Yes, so what if she signed on that undertaking. That piece of paper has no legal value. She did not depose before a court of law so why is she being targeted unnecessarily,” a source close to the chief minister said in Jaipur.