Rajasthan: iPhone 13 gift for 200 MLAs after Budget speech; BJP says will return to Congress govt

In a major splurge, the Rajasthan government gifted Apple iPhone 13 mobile phones to all 200 members of the state legislature.

iPhones, kept inside leather briefcases, were reportedly gifted to all 200 MLAs following the presentation of the state budget. The Congress government is believed to have spent around Rs 1.5 crore, with a single iPhone 13 smartphone costing between Rs 75,000 to Rs 1 lakh.

Last year, the Ashok Gehlot administration had reportedly gifted Apple iPads to all lawmakers after the Budget speech.

However, the BJP soon announced that its legislators would return the iPhone handsets. Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia tweeted that after a discussion with the Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria, and Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore, all BJP MLAs would return the Apple phones due to the pressure on the exchequer.