BJP today demanded a CBI probe into the alleged misuse of office by Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr Shashi Tharoor to favour a Kochi Franchisee in the IPL. Talking to reporters in New Delhi, party spokesman, Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad charged that it is a clear case of corruption in which a close associate of the minister has been benefitted. He urged the Prime Minister to remove Mr. Tharoor from the council of ministers for his alleged misconduct. The congress has rejected the demand saying it is absurd. Party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmad said, it is upto the cricket board to decide on the allegations of impropriety over his role in the Kochi IPL team. Earlier, the External Affairs, Minister, Mr S.M. Krishna met the Congress President, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi after Mr Tharoor strongly denied that he had sought any favour from the IPL authorities for the franchisee. Though nothing was officially told about the meeting, party sourses said that the controversy figured in the discussion. Vice President of the Cricket Control Board and Congress MP, Mr Rajiv Shukla also met Mrs. Gandhi following the controversy. Mr Tharoor in a statement this morning denied tht he had told the IPL chief, Lalit Modi about granting any favour to the franchisee. He alleged that Mr. Modi made attempts to pressure the winning consortium to abandon their bid for the Kerala outfit. Mr Tharoor also denied that he had told modi not to ask details about owners of the consortium led by Rendezvous that bought the new franchisee. BCCI has decided to take up the issue for discussion in the next 10 days.