Raje attends NITI Aayog meeting

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje, who is embroiled in a controversy over favouring former IPL chief Lalit Modi but has the central government's backing, attended a NITI Aayog meeting here on Saturday.

In her first visit to national capital after the controversy erupted, Raje is also likely to meet senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including its president Amit Shah.

According to BJP sources, a meeting took place between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah on Friday in which it was decided that Raje would attend the NITI Aayog meeting.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had met Shah and the prime minister on Friday and discussed the party's strategy in view of the opposition's relentless attack on Raje.

It was decided after these meetings to continue backing Raje despite pressure from the Congress, demanding her resignation for helping Lalit Modi with his residency application in Britain.

A BJP leader privy to the meeting told IANS on the condition of anonymity that it was "also discussed how the Blue Corner Notice against Lalit Modi can be converted into a Red Corner Notice".

"If the Red Corner Notice is issued, Lalit Modi can be detained in any country," he said.