Lalit Modi row: Congress asks Rajasthan CM to quit

The Congress on Wednesday demanded Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's resignation over allegations that she testified in favour of former IPL chief Lalit Modi's British immigration application in 2011.

"The chief minister has no right to continue in office," Congress Rajasthan unit chief Sachin Pilot said at a press conference in Delhi.

Pilot alleged that Raje helped Modi, who was facing investigations regarding alleged tax evasion.

Pilot said the Congress in the state would hit the streets on Thursday to press for her resignation.

The Congress has been demanding External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's resignation over her assistance to Modi to get travel documents from the British authorities after his Indian passport was revoked.

The party's Rajasthan unit on Wednesday passed a resolution at its executive meeting in Udaipur demanding Raje and Sushma Swaraj's ouster.

"The resignations have been demanded from both of them (Raje and Sushma Swaraj) for allegedly favouring Lalit Modi," Congress state unit spokesperson Archana Sharma told IANS over phone.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party's state unit president Ashok Parnami asked: "Why did the Congress, which was a ruling party both at the centre and in the state, not launch a probe at that time."

"This clearly shows that the Congress is raising baseless allegations and is engaging in petty politics," Parnami said.

Raje was hit by a controversy following revelation apparently made in a statement released by Lalit Modi's legal team.

The statement said Raje, who was then Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan assembly, said she was in favour of Modi's immigration application but on the strict condition that her name will not be revealed to the Indian authorities.

Raje, in a press note issued by her media advisor, on Tuesday said she knew Modi's family but was not aware "which document people are talking about".

In Delhi, Congress national spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the party will pursue all remedies "legal or otherwise in the matter".

Quizzed on Modi having named some senior Congress functionaries also in the list of people helping him, Surjewala said: "If Lalit Modi had been helped by the UPA then he would not have been in the situation he is in now."

"The senior leadership of the BJP lies exposed for having helped a fugitive wanted by law. Both Sushma Swaraj and Raje are guilty of constitutional impropriety," he added.