Lalit Modi row: Vasundhara Raje cancels Punjab visit citing backache, avoids meeting Amit Shah

Amid raging Lalitgate row, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Friday cancelled her visit to Punjab where she would have come face-to-face with BJP president Amit Shah for the first time since the damaging revelations. "Due to back pain, the Chief Minster's doctor has advised her to take rest so she has cancelled her visit to Punjab today," Raje's press advisor said.

Raje, who is embroiled in a controversy over allegedly favouring tainted IPL Chief Lalit Modi's immigration plea in London, was scheduled to share the dais with BJP Chief Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh at the function in Anandpur Sahib celebrating 350 years of the key Sikh shrine. Significance was being attached to the meeting as none of the BJP central leaders or the government have come to her defence since the issue came out in public. Raje had spoken to Shah over phone on Wednesday to explain her position.

Congress has been demanding her immediate resignation along with that of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, saying they have no right to continue in office after helping the former IPC Chairman who is facing money laundering and other charges. However, Rajathan Health Minister Rajendra Rathore rejected demands for Raje's resignation, saying the entire national BJP and party MLAs were with her. "The entire BJP be it at the Centre or the state are with her. She has been leading us and will continue to do so.

The entire legislature party is standing strongly with her. Our leadership is standing by her. The question of her resignation does not arise," he had said.