Celebrations as Rahul Gandhi turns 49, PM Modi greets him

TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ Less than a month after it suffered a humiliating electoral defeat, the Congress celebrated on Wednesday as its President Rahul Gandhi turned 49, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeting him too. Congress leaders, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and scores of party activists turned up at the Congress headquarters in the heart of the capital to greet him on his birthday.

Modi, who was engaged in a bitter war of words with Gandhi during the Lok Sabha battle, tweeted: “Best wishes to Rahul Gandhi on his birthday. May he be blessed with good health and a long life.”  Gandhi responded warmly: “Thank you for your greetings Narendra Modiji. I appreciate them.”

Congress supporters got into a celebratory mood, dancing to the beat of drums in the morning outside the Congress office on Akbar Road here.  There were similar scenes outside 10 Janpath Road, his mother and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s residence where Youth Congress members led the celebrations.  Rahul Gandhi arrived at the party office with a packet of sweets, which he distributed among the media persons.  He then cut a cake along with the party workers.