Gone are the days when politicians dressed only in a boring kurta-pyjama and topi.
The style makers are creating attractive options and there's good money to be spent. So some netas, particularly the baba log who realise that appearance does matter when it comes to collecting votes, are shedding the traditional mould for a modern, more vigorous look.
Purvesh Sarnaik, Yuva Sena leader and son of Thane MLA Pratap Sarnaik, stands out in the crowd with an colourful, elegant range of garments.
"My kurtas, shirts and Nehru jackets are designed by Vikarm Phadnis, Rohit Bal or Anita Dongre. I approached these style gurus as they understand best the trends in colour, design and fabric. They know what looks cool and appealing for a young politician like me," says Purvesh, who is set to campaign for his father in the assembly polls.
He was the first in the family to get the help of designers. Now even his brother Vihang and their father get their clothes done by them.
Purvesh is close to Aditya Thackeray, the Sena scion who is said to be keen about dressing smart. The dress craze has gripped young leaders from almost all political parties.
Money is not a constraint and the trend has caught on even in the interiors. Avdhoot Tatkare, chairman of the Roha municipal corporation and nephew of NCP state president Sunil Tatkare, came to Mumbai on Tuesday to visit designer Madhav Agasti.
Among Agasti's customers are some top national and state level politicians including Nitin Gadkari, Shahnawaz Hussain, Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel, Ajit Pawar, even chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.
"As my uncle gets his clothes stitched from Agasti, I decided to come here also, so that I'm ready when campaigning begins," said Avdhoot. He is looking to contest the assembly election from Shrivardhan in Raigad, which seat has been vacated by his uncle.
Khadi, the trademark fabric of netas for over a century, is no longer the flavour. Now it's linen. "Linen is the preferred choice also because it has a softer feel, it has a rich look and wrinkles slower than khadi," Agasti pointed out.
Hand-spun fabric in cotton, silk or wool starts from Rs60 and goes up to Rs1,500 a metre. Linen, made up of flax fibres imported from France, Belgium, China and prepared on modern looms, costs upwards of Rs1,000 a metre.
"A medium-range linen kurta-pyjama set can work out to Rs10,000 with another Rs5,000 for a jacket," said Amar Kanojia, designer at "Linen Club", the Aditya Birla-owned premium chain.
Among Kanojia's customers are NCP's Niranjan Davkhare and Sena MP Rajan Vichare. "They days even older politicians wear linen kurtas. They want to look fashionable in shades of blue, beige, grey and other light shades. Cotton or silk-based dark Nehru jackets are out, linen blends in lighter shades are in," Kanojia said.
Congress leader Nizamuddin Rayeen explained the change simply: "Just like other professionals, the young people in politics also want to look smart and presentable. The packaging does matter."
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