By IANS,
New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s birthday Thursday was a low-key affair in view of a message sent out by the party against celebrations.
Gandhi, who turned 64 Thursday, was greeted by union ministers including Pranab Mukherjee, Virbhadra Singh, C.P. Joshi, Krishna Tirath and Ajay Maken and office bearers of All India Congress Committee.
Several state unit chiefs faxed their greetings as the party had sent a message that Gandhi was not celebrating her birthday. Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Kaul Singh was among those who sent the party chief a message on her birthday.
Party sources said the reason for Gandhi not celebrating her birthday was the blast at Varanasi Tuesday which led to death of a child and injured over 20 others.
Among the first to call on her were DMK leaders including T.R. Baalu and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi.
Congress general secretary B.K. Hariprasad greeted Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence along with a group of slum dwellers from Indore.
Party workers carried posters of Gandhi and her son and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi as they assembled near her residence. Folk artistes from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu staged dances at the premises of the party headquarters.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi also conveyed Gandhi his best wishes and described her as the “light of sacrifice”.
In a message, Karunanidhi said: “Under your dynamic guidance and meaningful watch, the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government is providing the best governance at the centre.”
Sonia Gandhi, who is an MP from Rae Bareli, was born on Dec 9, 1946.