Rahul's jacket continues to warm up politics

Hitting back at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for taking potshots at Rahul Gandhi over his jacket, the Congress party on Wednesday called it the BJP's desperation to bring down the Congress party president's popularity and image.

Gandhi, who has been campaigning in Meghalaya for the forthcoming assembly elections, was seen wearing a jacket, apparently from a British luxury fashion brand, which the BJP claims is priced at nearly Rs. 70,000.

Speaking to ANI, Congress leader Renuka Chaudhary laughed away the BJP's claims and said she could produce the same jacket for Rs. 700 for Prime Minister Narendra Modi if he wants, and added that "only I don't have his measurements other than chappan inch chaati (56 inch chest)."

Chaudhary said, "I don't know whether to laugh or to cry on the desperation of the BJP. Are you saying that they have no other work than to sit and search rates?? I can show you the same jacket for 700 rupees. If the Prime Minister wants it I can get one and send it to him other than 56-inch chest, I don't have his measurements."

The images of Gandhi wearing the jacket gave fresh ammunition to the BJP to counter his famous 'suit boot ki sarkaar' jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.

Mocking the BJP, Chaudhary said, "It is so funny that it is coming from the suit-boot sarkaar. A suit that was woven with his name on it and he wore it when the US president came (to India). And then they auctioned it for crores. This is the sarkaar that is questioning Rahul Gandhi's jacket?"

On Tuesday, BJP's Meghalaya unit raised up the issue of Gandhi's jacket on Twitter.

"So @OfficeOfRG , soot(pun intended!)-boot ki sarkar with 'black' money fleeced from Meghalayan State exchequer by rampant corruption? Instead of singing away our woes, you could have given a report card of your inefficient govt in Meghalaya! Your indifference mocks us!" wrote Meghalaya BJP below the picture, which was paired with the jacket's original photo and price.