Will Sandeep Kumar's wife, Ritu Verma, stand by her man?

We don't know whether Sandeep Kumar's wife, Ritu Verma, will do an Arvind Kejriwal and show her apparently errant husband the door, but surely she could have seen this indiscretion coming?

It appears that the Sultanpur Majra MLA declared on International Women’s Day on March 8, 2015 that he touched his wife’s feet daily to thank her for the "sacrifices" she had made for him. A report from last year quotes Kumar as saying that he has been doing this since Ritu, 29, and he got married on April 5, 2011. "Sometimes she says 'khoob tarakki karo', but mostly she just smiles." 

Apparently, Kumar was moved to declare this because the two come from very different backgrounds (she's posh, he's not) and had to overcome considerable opposition before they could marry.

Clearly, Kumar couldn't believe his good fortune at having married Ritu. In March this year, the minister, ironically, of women and child welfare, apparently forced a government school principal to put his wife’s name on an inaugural plaque at the building. Clearly the announcement and the plaque are the modern equivalent of the traditional guilt gifts, chocolates and flowers. The price of inflation clearly.

We haven't heard from Kumar's wife, who is a lawyer, either about his choice of bed partners or, equally of putting, his bedroom wear. Could it be that she will, like Tammy Wynette sang, stand by her man?

In fact, what is it about smart women and foolish choices? Otherwise sharp wives who stand by their sexting, lying, cheating, CDing seedy husbands?

Well if they're Hillary Clinton, they end up as potential presidents, a career arc currently being echoed in Shonda Rhimes' Scandal, where former First Lady Millie Grant is quietly building a reputation as a smart politician (among other things filibustering Senate for 12 straight hours).

And if they're Huma Abedin, Clinton's long time Indian-Pakistani aide, who finally decided to dump her serial offender (not once, not twice, but thrice) husband, Congressman Anthony Weiner, it's a chance at being the most important adviser to potentially the most important person on earth.

So is it that these women are the new Jackie Os? The Good Wives? Turning a blind eye to their husband's bedroom behaviour so long as they're guaranteed a shot at power?

Modern television is full of steely fictional women who have served up their adulterous husbands' heads to a hungry public spoiling for a good fight. Consider Veep's Selina Meyer and her repeated putdowns of her ghastly pushy ex-husband Andy (he still does get under her skin, but only when she needs, ah, a little exercise in the bedroom).

Or maybe, just maybe, they are like House of Cards' Frank and Claire (You-don't-want-to-make-an-enemy-of-me) Underwood? Each other's best and worst enablers?

We hope Ritu Verma doesn't subscribe to the I-am-being-punished-for-being-a-Dalit theory spouted by her husband who denies being on tape. This is the lamest excuse possible and second only to Kumar's first defence - it-ain't-me-babe.

With Kejriwal having stripped Kumar of his office, there is certainly no power deal to be struck here. If it is indeed her husband in the CD, perhaps Ritu Verma could put her legal skills to work for herself?