The Prime Minister has visited Rajasthan several times this year
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Rajasthan's Sikar today was preceded by public squabbling after Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot accused the PM's office of axing his speech from an event.
After a back-and-forth on Twitter between his office and the Chief Minister, PM Modi, while addressing a farmers' event in Sikar, said: "Ashok Gehlot was supposed to attend the programme but could not due to ill health. I pray for his speedy recovery."
Ashok Gehlot had this morning posted that he could only welcome PM Modi on Twitter since his speech - via videoconference - had been cancelled by the Prime Minister's Office.
"Today you are visiting Rajasthan. Your office PMO has removed my pre-scheduled 3-minute address from the program, so I will not be able to welcome you through speech, so I heartily welcome you to Rajasthan through this tweet," Ashok Gehlot tweeted.
In the detailed post, Mr Gehlot went on to list what he called his demands for the state, which he would have voiced in the Prime Minister's presence.
The Prime Minister's Office rebutted his charge shortly after, saying it was the Chief Minister who had begged off citing his leg injury and that Mr Gehlot was "most welcome to join" the programme.
"In accordance with protocol, you have been duly invited and your speech was also slotted. But, your office said you will not be able to join. During PM Narendra Modi's previous visits as well you have always been invited and you have also graced those programmes with your presence. You are most welcome to join today's programme. Your name is very much there on the plaque of the development works as well. Unless you have any physical discomfort owing to your recent injury, your presence will be deeply valued," the PMO tweet said.
Mr Gehlot promptly shared letters as proof that he was to attend the Prime Minister's programme remotely but the plans changed last minute.
"Respected Prime Minister, your office has taken cognizance of my tweet but they probably have not been made aware of the facts. My address was kept in the proposed minute-to-minute program sent by the Ministry of Health. Last night I was again informed that I would not be addressing it," he wrote in Hindi.
"My office had informed the government of India that as per the opinion of doctors, due to a leg injury, I would attend the program through video conferencing and my ministers would reach the venue. Even now I will be involved in this program in the interest of Rajasthan, on non-interactive mode, through video conferencing."
This is PM Modi's sixth visit to Congress-ruled Rajasthan, which will vote for a new government later this year.
The BJP is trying to gain a foothold in Sikar, a Jat dominated district where the party has not a single MLA across eight seats - seven are Congress MLAs and one is an independent member.
Jats are a politically influential farmers' community that can be gamechangers in the state election.