NEW DELHI: The current race to rule India has acquired the trappings of an American presidential contest, at least in form discarding the Westminster model of parliamentary democracy.

What is missing in front-runner Narendra Modi’s campaign is the probity that follows the American candidates.

Mr Modi filed his wife’s name for the first time in his election papers, unlike his contests in Gujarat where he left the spouse column blank. Would this have been acceptable in an American presidential race?

A potentially legal game changer turned into a political non-issue in India, with the Congress mocking

Mr Modi and even going to the Election Commission to ask its opinion in the matter.

“Those who feel they can get Modi into legal trouble by raising this issue are living in a fool’s paradise,” said Mumbai’s neo-fascist Shiv Sena, a Modi ally.

In fact, according reports, the Shiv Sena hit out at the Congress for raking up the issue of Mr Modi’s marriage.

The Congress had complained that Mr Modi concealed information about his wife, Jashodaben, in earlier poll affidavits.

“First get the Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi married and then raise questions about Narendra Modi’s marriage,” said an editorial in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna on Monday.

“Those who feel they can get Modi into legal trouble by raising this issue are living in a fool’s paradise,” the editorial said referring to the Congress party’s complaint.

“Why has the Congress raised this issue when Mr Modi’s wife Jasodaben has made no complaint? If the Congress is so concerned about her, it should also take up the issue of Union Minister Shashi Tharoor’s wife Sunanda Pushkar, who died under mysterious circumstances.”

The editorial endorsed Mr Modi’s stand that his marriage was a mere formality.

“Swami Ramdas ran away in the middle of wedding rituals to dedicate his life to society and his religion. Mr Modi and his wife decided to separate and he went on to become an RSS worker.”

The editorial also accused the Congress of highlighting the issue to divert attention from its own failings.

“How is the issue of Mr. Modi’s marriage going to solve issues of price rise and corruption? Is it going to help the common man?” the editorial asked.

It said the Congress had no moral right to take up issues concerning women when several of its leaders were accused of committing atrocities against women.