Raje tried to benefit Portugal hospital that treated Lalit Modi's wife, alleges Congress; CM office attacks media

Even as the Congress continues to gun for Vasundhara Raje, the Rajasthan Chief Minister's office has clarified that no signature campaign was carried out in her favour.

Blaming the media for "trying to malign" the Chief Minister's image, Raje's office clarified that there was no signature campaign by 120 MLAs signing in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader.

In a statement, a CMO spokesman said the Chief Minister holds "jansunwai" (public hearing) at her residence every Friday, and for this many MLAs come with the public of their constituency for putting forward their problems and demands.

"Similarly today, the CM is holding public hearing in which MLAs and party workers are meeting", the spokesman said.

"The news of signature by 120 MLAs (in her support) is completely wrong. It is not fair to link public hearing with a different view", he said.

The CMO said the Chief Minister never asked or made any call to MLAs to show their strength and support.

"The Chief Minister has not made any such statements shown in TV news channels. Some media channels were running news to tarnish the political image of Chief Minister", he said, advising the media to carry only confirmed news.

This came even as the Congress upped the ante against the Rajasthan leader, accusing her of using state's resources and trying to benefit the Portugal hospital that treated former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi's wife.

The opposition party has alleged that Raje signed an MoU with the hospital that treated Lalit Modi's wife. According to the Congress, the MoU had said that the Rajasthan government would provide land to the hospital and incur its financial management.

The Congress called it a one-sided MoU highlighting how the government would provide land and financial management services to set up a state of the art cancer unit.

The opposition party claimed that it was a clear sign of quid-pro quo between Lalit Modi and the Rajasthan Chief Minister as the MoU was completely one sided, reiterating their demand for Raje's resignation. The BJP has claimed that the MoU was signed in the interests of providing affordable cancer care in the state.