Vasundhara Raje cancels trip to Anandpur Sahib in Punjab

Citing ill health, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vaundhara Raje on Friday cancelled her trip to Anandpur Sahib in Punjab for celebrations to mark its 350th anniversary.

“Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has cancelled her trip to Anandpur Sahib due to ill health. According to her doctor Sudhir Bhandari she is suffering from backache and has been advised rest,” s statement from the chief minister’s media advisor said.

BJP president Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh are also expected to visit Anandpur Sahib.

“She wants to meet Shah badly and wants to clarify her position. She thought it gave her best opportunity to do so. However, it seems that Shah and the central leadership is avoiding her and don’t want to share dias with her,” said a Bharatiya Janata Party functionary on condition of anonymity.

Raje is embroiled in a controversy over allegations that she testified in favour of former IPL chief Lalit Modi’s British immigration application in 2011 and Modi’s investment in her son Dushyant Singh’s company.

On Thursday, the media advisor to the chief minister had issued a statement saying that the chief minister had not sought time for meeting Shah.

Rajasthan’s Health Minister Rajendra Rathore while terming the issue as a petty one on Thursday had said that there is no question of Raje resigning over the issue.

“She has already clarified. Why should or would she resign. She clarified by issuing a statement on Tuesday. We all (the legislature party) are behind her,” Rathore said. (IANS)