BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad refused to comment on the letter, saying: 'There is no need to comment on everything.'

Khanduri, a former Indian Army officer, was replaced by Ramesh Pokhriyal as chief minister.

In Rajasthan, leader of opposition in the assembly Vasundhara Raje, who was asked to quit her post over a week ago, had not done so arguing that she alone could not be held responsible for the BJP's debacle in the state.

Over 50 of the 78 BJP MLAs in the state had even come down to Delhi to express solidarity with Raje in a virtual show of strength even as she agreed to quit but on her terms.

Her terms are she be given a plum organisational post in Delhi, her replacement should be of her choice and that two MLAs suspended last week for backing her be reinstated.

But party chief Rajnath Singh maintained that all issues could be discussed after she resigned and told her not to chair a meeting of the party's legislators ahead of the assembly session that began Wednesday.

Raje insisted she would attend it and reportedly agreed to quit only after the session was over. Her word prevailed and the former Rajasthan chief minister chaired the meeting of her party's MLAs.