Lalit Modi row: Rajasthan's Health Minister backs Raje

Rajasthan's Health Minister Rajendra Rathore on Monday came to the rescue of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who is facing sharp criticism from the opposition parties for helping former IPL boss Lalit Modi.

"The chapter is over now. Neither the Centre nor the state leadership doubted our Chief Minister's credibility," Rathore told ANI here.

"Raje is a very strong leader under whom the state is making a lot of progress," he added while alleging that an attempt was being made to conspire against Raje.

Rathore, however, refused to comment on RSS ideologue KN Govindacharya's remark that Raje 'should quit on moral grounds'.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue K.N. Govindacharya had earlier said that instead of trying to give legal excuses, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government must take a principled stand on its leaders.

BJP stalwart Lal Krishna Advani had earlier in an interview reportedly said that 'political credibility was essential and politicians must live up to the trust placed in them by voters'.

The remarks of Govindacharya and Advani come at a time when External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje are facing calls to resign for their links to former IPL boss Lalit Modi, who is facing a number of investigations related to alleged financial irregularities.