PM Modi turns 68, to celebrate birthday in Varanasi

PM Modi turns 68 on Monday. The prime minister plans to celebrate his birthday in a school at his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi. Modi will reach Narur village on Monday afternoon where he will interact with children of a primary school, which is aided by a non-profit organisation, Room to Read.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and BJP chief Amit Shah were among the first to greet him. The prime minister will later interact with students of the Kashi Vidyapeeth and the children assisted by them at the Diesel Locomotive Works campus.

In the meantime, to celebrate Modi's birthday, BJP state chief Tamilisai Soundararajan who is also a gynaecologist, gifted gold rings to babies born at a government hospital run by the Chennai civic body. She took to Twitter to wish PM Modi.

This is not the first time that political parties have given out expensive things to mark events of significance. Rivals Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi had constantly given away items like computers, mobile phones, mixer grinders and more in a bid to garner more votes. In fact, in Feburuary 2016, AIADMK marked the birth anniversary of then chief minister Jayalalithaa by presenting gold rings to seven babies born on that day.

Tamil Nadu has proved to be tough nut to crack for the BJP, with Dravidian politics taking prominenece in the state. In the 2014 general eletions BJP won just one seat in the state and in the 2016 assembly elections, it won on 2.86% of the votes. Will the 'gold gifting' gesture help gain more supporters, remains to be seen.

Here is how leaders have taken to Twitter to greet the prime minister.

"Birthday greetings to our Prime Minister @narendramodi. Wish him a long life and many years of dedicated service to the people of the country," Kovind tweeted.

Naidu, who is in Malta, called up Modi to wish him on his birthday.

"Warm Birthday wishes to Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. India is making rapid strides under his visionary leadership and taking its rightful place in the comity of nations. May he be blessed with long and healthy life," said Naidu's Twitter handle.

Amit Shah hailed Modi's leadership, saying India under him has become synonymous with development and that he has infused energy into every section of society like never before.

India has a government under Modi, which is committed to the development of the poor, farmers and every section of society, the BJP chief said in a tweet.