Get Rahul married, Sena tells Congress - Times of India

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena's mouthpiece Saamna, which has been critical of Narendra Modi in the recent past, has defended him in the ongoing row about his marital status. "By raising Modi's marriage issue, the Congress has shown its intellectual bankruptcy," Saamna said in an editorial on Monday, asking the Congress to find a suitable bride for Rahul Gandhi before criticizing Modi.

"Will corruption and price rise go away by raking up Modi's marriage controversy? Will those who have filled their coffers in the coal scam return the cash to the state exchequer because of the row? Or will the issue strike fear in the hearts of Pakistani terrorists?" Saamna asked.

Pointing out that Gujarat's progress wasn't affected because of Modi not revealing information about his marriage with Jashodaben in the last election, Saamna said the Congress should first come clean on Sunanda Pushkar's death before casting a stone at the NDA's PM pick.

The Saamna comment is seen as the Sena's olive branch to the BJP, whose leader Nitin Gadkari's recent overtures to MNS chief Raj Thackeray had angered Matoshree. Sena president Uddhav Thackeray severely opposed Gadkari's move to have the MNS on board the saffron alliance.