NEW DELHI: A tasteless jacket worn by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he hosted US President Barrack Obama in Delhi was sold for Rs43 million at an auction on Friday.

The three-day auction saw businessmen, diamond merchants and a teacher making offers for the suit, which is believed to have contributed to his party’s defeat in Delhi.

Mr Modi’s suit with his name woven into it in gold pinstripes finally went to 62-year old Hitesh Laljibhai Patel, a Surat-based diamond merchant.

Know more: What's in a NaMo?: Indian premier's Modi-striped suit is wildly popular

The money will be used for the prime minister’s campaign to clean the river Ganga.

“I have 8,000 workers. I am going to proudly display it at my factory. It is a matter of pride that a suit worn by Narendra Modi will now be mine,” said a jubilant Mr Patel to NDTV. He had doggedly outbid other buyers, declaring that the “sky’s the limit”.

The tailored navy blue suit was mocked by opposition parties as an example of narcissism and extravagance in a country where many live in extreme poverty.

Published in Dawn February 21th , 2015

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