New Delhi: The auction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bandgala monogrammed pinstripe suit began in Surat on Wednesday and will go on for three days. The highest closing offer on the second day came from a diamond trader and ship-breaking tycoon from Bhavnagar, K.K. Sharma, who is also the chairman of the Leela Group of Companies.
Sharma is likely to be present to pick up delivery of the Modi suit if his bid of Rs 1.40 crore proves the highest on Friday, his official agent Chirag Mehta told media persons.
Earlier at the end of Day 1 of the auction, NRI Viral Choski's bid at Rs 1.1 crore for the Modi suit was the highest. Surat City Collector Rajendra Kumar said bidding will close on February 20 at 5 PM.
The Prime Minister wore this suit with his name on it during US President Barack Obama's visit in January.
The proceeds will go to the Namami Gange trust also known as the Clean Ganga Fund. The entire suit and pant had Narendra Damodardas Modi repeatedly embroidered into the fabric.
Ramesh Kumar Bhikabhai Virani had gifted the suit to PM Modi. He said, "I gifted this suit to Modi and asked him to wear it on my son's wedding as a blessing to him. He said he will give it away to charity. I'm very happy that he wore the suit."
The suit, reported to be worth almost Rs 10 lakh, has seen Modi coming under criticism. Modi's rivals have called him megalomaniac and narcissist.
Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken raised questions on such an expensive gift for the Prime Minister. "How can such an expensive gift be called a "private gift"? PM should explain why that man gifted such an expensive suit."
BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi commented on Ajay Maken's remark saying that Congress was lowering its political stature. "In the past also PM Modi has been donating his belonging to charity," countered Trivedi.
On the other hand, Omar Abdullah tweeted saying, "If you have so much money why not just quietly donate it to charity without buying a suit you know you can't wear????"
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