 "Modi wins but Jashodaben nowhere to be seen")
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The jeera (cumin seeds) trading hub, Unjha, now home to Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi’s wife Jashodaben, is celebrating the historic victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha elections. But Jashodaben is nowhere to be seen.
Ashok Chimanlal Modi, Jashodaben’s elder brother, with whom she lives, has a stock answer to scores of phone calls he receives from journalists asking about her whereabouts: “I don’t know”.
“She is on a pilgrimage with some of our relatives since May 8. Last we spoke to her was day before yesterday when she was in Gangasagar. We don’t know where she is right now. She must be somewhere in North India or must be on her way to Rameshwaram,” says Ashok Modi, while distributing sweets and bursting fire crackers.
According to Ashok Modi, Jashodaben was praying for at least 272 seats for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. “She knew he would win and had even wished and prayed for 272 seats for his party before leaving for pilgrimage. She is proud of him,” says an elated Girish Rawal, a local BJP worker and Ashok’s friend.
Though Ashok’s family extended their best wishes to the next Prime Minister, they are not sure if Jashodaben would be called to Delhi. There are reports that a special protection group team would be providing security to her.
“Only God, Modi and Jashoda know if Modi will take her back to Delhi. If after 45 years, he has finally acknowledged her as his wife, then someday in the near future hopefully he would take her with him,” says an elated Ashok Modi.
Meanwhile, denying rumours that his sister is being kept somewhere else in Unjha, away from the glare of the media, Ashok Modi promised to bring her in public on May 27 at a press conference.
“We will have our Modi community get-together on May 26 when she returns from pilgrimage. We will then bring her out in public at a press conference on May 27,” he adds.
Ashok Chimanlal Modi, Jashodaben’s elder brother, with whom she lives, has a stock answer to scores of phone calls he receives from journalists asking about her whereabouts: “I don’t know”.
“She is on a pilgrimage with some of our relatives since May 8. Last we spoke to her was day before yesterday when she was in Gangasagar. We don’t know where she is right now. She must be somewhere in North India or must be on her way to Rameshwaram,” says Ashok Modi, while distributing sweets and bursting fire crackers.
According to Ashok Modi, Jashodaben was praying for at least 272 seats for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. “She knew he would win and had even wished and prayed for 272 seats for his party before leaving for pilgrimage. She is proud of him,” says an elated Girish Rawal, a local BJP worker and Ashok’s friend.
Though Ashok’s family extended their best wishes to the next Prime Minister, they are not sure if Jashodaben would be called to Delhi. There are reports that a special protection group team would be providing security to her.
“Only God, Modi and Jashoda know if Modi will take her back to Delhi. If after 45 years, he has finally acknowledged her as his wife, then someday in the near future hopefully he would take her with him,” says an elated Ashok Modi.
Meanwhile, denying rumours that his sister is being kept somewhere else in Unjha, away from the glare of the media, Ashok Modi promised to bring her in public on May 27 at a press conference.
“We will have our Modi community get-together on May 26 when she returns from pilgrimage. We will then bring her out in public at a press conference on May 27,” he adds.
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