Incumbent Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje on Friday lashed out at Sharad Yadav for remarks that most felt were highly objectionable and derogatory.

Yadav had recently said last Friday that Raje must be given rest in a reference to her weight. "Vasundhara ko aaram do, bahut moti ho gari hai, thak gayi hain (Let Vasundhara rest, she has gained weight, is very tired)," he had said. It created an immediate furore with BJP leaders slamming the remark.

Raje, after casting her vote in the state's assembly election, said Yadav's remark was an insult to women everywhere. "I am absolutely shocked and I feel insulted. It is an insult to women everywhere," she said. "This especially sends a wrong signal to the youth. Is this the message Congress and its allies want to send out? They should be restrained in their language."

On his part, Yadav had tried to defend what he had said and had told news agency ANI that 'it was a joke.' He said that he had no intentions of hurting Raje's sentiments and that he had known the BJP leader for long. "When I met her, I told her that she's gaining weight," the 73-year-old had said.

The BJP in Rajasthan has already approached the Election Commission against Yadav's remarks.