“I am not talking about party. There is no two opinion that development is taking place in Gujarat and (because of that) government gets re-elected. Why governments get re-elected. Why they come again and again. Because they ensure development,” PTI quoted her as saying at an election function in Agra.

By evening, Dikshit’s office issued a press release saying Dikshit was quoted out of context, and that she only said good governance ensures return to power, without praising Modi.

According to the release, while replying to a question about her returning to power twice in Delhi, Dikshit said the governments which concentrate on fine-tuning governance and have provided stability have been returned to power in the country.

“This happened in Delhi, Assam and somewhat in Gujarat. It is further clarified she did not praise any chief minister while answering the question posed by the mediapersons,” the release read.

According to the press statement, in her speech in Agra, Dikshit said that in the modern context, people have understood the importance of clean and efficient governments, and that she hoped people in Uttar Pradesh would take a cue from this. “Being a staunch nationalist, patriot and a secular person, how can she praise Gujarat CM who has been accused in communal riots in which a large number of innocent people lost their lives,” the release read.

The embarrassment to the Congress comes within days after the Gujarat Congress issued newspaper advertisements last week praising Modi. A pull-out by the Congress, distributed with newspapers on the Republic Day in some parts of the state, featured Modi’s photograph and described him as “a master organiser and astute election strategist”.