If sparring over programmes and promises was not enough, electoral campaigning in Shillong took a new turn with Congress and BJP sparring over Rahul Gandhi’s jacket.
The political arch rivals tore into each other after the Meghalaya unit of the BJP, in an apparent bid to get even with Rahul Gandhi over his "suit-boot" jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claimed the Congress chief wore a jacket worth Rs 63,000 to a concert in Shillong on Tuesday. The post alleged that Gandhi used black money to pay for this expensive jacket.
Replying to the BJP’s state unit, Congress’s Priyanka Chaturvedi tweeted:
Gandhi later clarified that the jacket worn by him was ‘a gift’, reported India Today. Answering a question posed by the channel, he said that the jacket had been given to him by someone from Shillong.
Mewanwhile, Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury also hit out at the BJP, alleging that the party is leading a "suit-boot ki sarkar" at the Centre, and had no moral authority to question Gandhi.
She said the saffron party was "frustrated" due to Gandhi's "rising popularity".
Chowdhury accused the Modi government of being "idle", and said it should rather focus on issues such as the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, and rising prices of fuel and vegetables.
Their frustration is directly proportionate to the rising popularity of Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi connects with the young. So, this idle and suit-boot ki sarkar has no right to talk about it.
Similarly, party leader Navjot Singh Siddhu too came out in support of Gandhi, calling him a “man who lives a simple life”.
Did they went to see the bill when Rahul Gandhi was buying the jacket? How do they know? I have never seen a man like Rahul Bhai who lives such a simple life while sitting on such an important post.
Twitter Mocks Rahul’s Jacket
However, Twitter had a field day over Gandhi’s jacket, with many recalling a torn kurta he had worn earlier.
Gandhi had mocked Modi with his "suit-boot ki sarkar" jibe after he wore a suit with his name finely embroidered on the stripes for a meeting with the then US president Barack Obama. The suit was later auctioned and bought for over 4.3 crore by a Surat businessman.
The BJP, which intends to give a tough fight to the ruling Congress in the Meghalaya Assembly elections, also accused Congress of distracting voters by organising a soiree.
(with inputs from PTI)
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