Sonia Gandhi turns 71
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended birthday greetings to Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
In a tweet, Mr Modi prayed for her long life and good health.
Sondia today turned 71 and party leaders and workers thronged her residence to greet her on her birthday.
Gandhi also met a number of leaders including former prime minister Manmohan Singh, and accepted their greetings.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and several former chief ministers and officer bearers also greeted Gandhi.
Congressmen gathered outside Sonia Gandhi’s 10 Janpath
residence since morning and celebrated her birthday by dancing to the beats of drums. Many carried posters and placards wishing Sonia Gandhi.
Former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat tried his hands at the drums as folk dancers performed outside Gandhi’s house.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar also joined the prime minister in wishing Sonia Gandhi. “Birthday wishes to Smt Sonia Gandhi ji,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala called Sonia Gandhi “a leader with indelible commitment to the Nation & Party.”
“A humanist at heart, A living soul for whom compassion & Non-violence is a way of life, A leader with indelible commitment to the Nation & Party, A person whose determination & resolve has always showed the way, A mother. Birthday Greetings to Smt. Sonia Gandhi!,” he wrote.
The BJP and Congress are locked in a high stakes battle in Gujarat as polling began in the first phase on Saturday. Sonia Gandhi, who has been facing health issues, has not campaigned till now in the Gujarat Assembly polls. Congress vice-prsident Rahul Gandhi is soon to succeed his mother Sonia Gandhi as president.