PM Modi to celebrate 67th birthday in Gujarat

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to celebrate his 67th birthday on September 17 in his home state Gujarat, where Assembly elections are scheduled this year.

Mr Modi, who visits his mother every year on his birthday to seek her blessings, is also expected to dedicate the Narmada dam to the people of Gujarat on that day.

Sources disclosed ahead of this, Mr Modi will also accompany his Japanese counterpart Sinzo Abe, who is visiting Gujarat on a three-day visit from September 13 to launch various projects.

Assembly elections in Gujarat are likely to be held in November and the Model Code of Conduct is likely to be enforced by October. This is the first time Gujarat will go to poll since both Mr Modi and his close confidante and BJP chief Amit Shah came to the national politics.

Mr Modi, himself, was the chief minister since 2001 till May 22, 2014, when the BJP, under his leadership, got a thumping majority in the Lok Sabha elections.

Already in a strong position, the BJP, which has been ruling the state since 1998,  got a boost recently when many senior Congress leaders, considered close to party’s tallest leader Shankarsinh Vaghela, joined it. Mr Vaghela also quit the ‘grand old party’ though he has not joined any outfit as yet. Speculation is that his exit will only impact the Congress’s poll prospects.

Though unsuccessfully, the BJP also fielded Mr Vaghela’s relative Balwantsinh Rajput, former leader of the opposition, in the Rajya Sabha elections. Already in an election mode, the BJP will start the candidate selection process from Navratri, said sources.

Meanwhile, Mr Modi and Mr Abe will participate in various events, including the inauguration of another Japanese industrial park, stone-laying of a bullet train project, an international Buddhist festival among others.