BJP takes potshots at Rahul for wearing jacket worth Rs 70,000

BJP's comeback was in retaliation to Rahul Gandhi's 'suit boot' jibe over Modi's monogrammed suit.

Before Rahul Gandhi's jacket: 5 other politically-charged fashion choices in recent times

This is one jacket over which both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress are finding it hard to keep their shirts on.

The political arch rivals tore into each other after the Meghalaya unit of the BJP, in an apparent bid to get even with Congress president 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.

'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!' the BJP's Meghalaya unit tweeted.

The party's state unit also tweeted an image of a Burberry jacket, similar to the one that Gandhi wore, having a price tag of $995 (little over Rs 63,000).

In another tweet, the BJP alleged the Congress government in Meghalaya was mired in corruption.

It said instead of attending a musical event, Gandhi should have given a report card of the state government.

Out on the hustings in the hill state, an unfazed Gandhi fired his 'suit-boot ki sarkar' salvo at Modi afresh, saying he was always found in the company of people attired in suits and not those that are poor.

The tweet suggesting that the jacket worn by Gandhi was bought with black money, drew a sharp reaction from Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury, who alleged the BJP was 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," she said.

Gandhi had attended the concert in Shillong, apparently to reach out to the young voters.

Dressed in blue denim trousers and a black jacket, he had urged the youth to love and respect each other to make the country strong.

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 the Congress of distracting voters by organising a soiree.

Everything you need to know about the 'Rahul Gandhi jacket'

Though senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Renuka Chowdhury attempted to dismiss the 'Rahul Gandhi jacket' -- as it's now being called -- as a jacket that can be purchased for as little as ₹700, it is unlikely that Rahul Gandhi was wearing a knock-off.

The jacket, according to the Burberry website, is a two-in-one down puffer jacket.

It features zip-off sleeves that transform the design into a gilet.

According to the a British luxury fashion brand, 'The down-filled design is engineered for lightweight warmth, and finished with interior ribbing at the cuffs for added insulation. Our signature check lines the hood.'

Interestingly, the jacket, which is priced at £750 on the Burberry website, does not ship to India.