No birthday bash for poll-bound CM Narendra Modi

A year is a long time, especially in politics.

A year after Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi celebrated a Sadbhavana-filled birthday on September 17, 2011, he is going to have a toned down birthday celebration on Monday.

Last year, his three-day Sadbhavana fast was an extravaganza ostensibly organised to give him an image makeover. But this year, no special event has been organised for Monday when Modi will turn 62.

The CM will be busy with a series of meetings, including his ongoing events, the ‘Vivekanand Yuva Vikas Yatra’ and ‘Vivekanand Yuva Parishad’. Apart from this, Modi will also inaugurate a national-level mega blood donation drive organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Terapanth Yuvak Parishad (ABTYP) at Gujarat University Exhibition Hall.

Sources close to the CM said, “Nothing special is on the plate apart from his ongoing programmes. He would be visiting his mother, Narmadaben, to seek her blessings on his birthday. After that he is scheduled to inaugurate a mega blood donation drive in Ahmedabad.

Then, he would go to Rajkot to attend ‘Vivekanand Yuva Parishad’ (VYP). After the Rajkot event is over, he will fly to Ambaji in Banaskantha district to lead the BJP’s ongoing ‘Vivekanand Yuva Vikas Yatra’”.

Interestingly, VYP is organised by the district administration and is monitored directly by the collector. Sources in the Rajkot collector office said that the first VYP was organised at Bhavnagar on
September 15.

“A team of officials and some BJP leaders such as Vijay Rupani had visited Bhavnagar for this. We are expecting around 35,000-40,000 young boys and girls to participate in the VYP. As the chief minister’s birthday is on Monday, a colourful welcome ceremony awaits him in Rajkot,” the official said.

He added that some renowned sportspersons such as Olympian Gagan Narang, cricketers Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja and former cricketer Navjotsingh Sidhu are likely to attend the event.

“Apart from this, the CM will also be distributing sports kits to various youth groups registered in the villages,” the official said.