The BJP decided on Friday to throw its weight behind External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in the face of allegations against them of aiding former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi.

BJP sources indicated that the decision — that action against either, or the party being seen as defending Ms. Swaraj over Ms. Raje, would take away from its image of “scam-free governance” — was taken at the highest level.

“We have a record of a scam-free first year in government,” a source in the BJP told The Hindu.

Ms. Raje on Thursday spoke to party president Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The decision to defend her was taken at Mr. Shah’s subsequent meeting with the Prime Minister. Party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said party action against Ms. Raje or Ms. Swaraj was an “imaginary” proposition. “There is nothing against the two technically or legally,” he retorted.

The Congress said the issue would affect the monsoon session of Parliament, if the government refused to sack Ms. Swaraj and replace Ms. Raje. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi held a meeting with senior leaders, and is reported to have told them “to carry on with the crusade”, according to a leader who was present. “We are prepared for a stand-off similar to the 2013 imbroglio, in which the Opposition demanded a JPC on the telecom scam and Parliament didn’t function for a long time,” a source from Mr. Gandhi’s team revealed.

The Congress said Lalit Modi had links with Narendra Modi when the latter was Chief Minister of Gujarat and president of the Gujarat Cricket Association. The party decided to target the Prime Minister for his silence.