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Story Behind Narendra Modi's Wife Jashodaben

Last Updated: April 16, 2014

Narendra Modi has publicly stated for the first time that he is married in election papers filed this week. The Hindu nationalist who will become the India's next prime minister having long avoided questions on his personal life finally gave this big news on Wednesday. The 63-year-old Modi, long famous for being a bachelor without any family was forced to acknowledge, he gave his vows 47 years ago.

India's ruling Congress party has repeatedly called for Modi to disclose his marital status, following local reports in recent years that he had an arranged marriage to a woman he soon deserted but never officially divorced. Critics say the episode exposes his poor attitude to women.

Modi wrote the name Jashodaben in a mandatory column regarding his marital status in election papers filed to run for a seat in Gujarat's Vadodara constituency. He had left the column blank on previous occasions, including in the last Gujarat state election in 2012.

Jashodaben, 62, a retired school teacher who was married to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi when she was 17 — and separated after about three years — is far removed from the rough and tumble of politics. She gets a monthly pension of Rs 14,000, lives mostly with a brother and spends much of her time in prayer.

Jashoda Chiman Modi, the reclusive 62-year-old retired school teacher has vowed not to eat rice and remain bare-footed till she sees her husband become the Prime Minister, says Jashodaben's brother Kamlesh."Jashodaben wishes from her heart that from being a Chief Minister, he (Modi) rises to become the Prime Minister of the country. She prays for that," he said.

"I have never gone to meet him and we have never been in touch. I don't think he will ever call me," she said. "In whatever I say, I do not want it to harm him. I just wish that he progresses in whatever he does. I know he will become prime minister one day."

"Narendra was married to Jashodaben Chiman Modi at a very young age by our parents, but it was only a formal ritual as Narendra left the house in those days itself." Modi's older brother Som said in a statement on Thursday.

Modi told a biographer recently that he "actually enjoys loneliness" and has said that because he has no children he is more likely to be a clean politician. "I've no familial ties. Who would I ever try to benefit through corruption?" he told a recent rally.

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