PM Modi wishes Rahul Gandhi good health, long life as Congress President turns 49 today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday morning extended birthday wishes to his political rival and Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

Gandhi also received wishes from his party workers and senior leaders. (File Photo/ PTI)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday morning extended birthday wishes to his political rival and Congress President Rahul Gandhi. PM Modi took to micro-blogging site Twitter and wished Gandhi a healthy and long life. "May he be blessed with good health and a long life," PM Modi wrote on Twitter. Interestingly, prime minister's birthday wish was similar to the ones he posted in the last two years. Apart from PM Modi, Gandhi also received a flood of birthday wishes from his followers, party workers and senior political leaders resulting in #HappyBirthdayRahulGandhi and #IAmRahulGandhi becoming trending topics on the micro blogging site.

Best wishes to Shri @RahulGandhi on his birthday. May he be blessed with good health and a long life.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 19, 2019

Gandhi, who turned 49 today, was in straight fight against PM Modi in the run-up to the Lok Sabha Elections 2019, in which Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA government returned to power with a thumping majority. The Congress President was born on this day in 1970. Among others extending their birthday wishes to the Congress President were party leaders Manish Tewari, Sanjay Nirupam, actress Nagma (also a Congress leader) and others. Several official handles of the party also shared posts wishing their President. Congress main Twitter handle led the way by posting a short video looking back at five moments when he inspired Indians everywhere.

On Congress President @RahulGandhi's birthday, we look back at five moments when he inspired Indians everywhere. #HappyBirthdayRahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/Clj0gJ6kqj

— Congress (@INCIndia) June 19, 2019

Rahul Gandhi took oath as the Member of Parliament (MP) earlier this week in the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha. Amid thumping of desks by Congress members, Rahul Gandhi took oath in English. Gandhi who got elected for the fourth time to the Lower House in a row, however, forgot the customary practice of signing the Lok Sabha register and started walking towards his seat after taking oath. Gandhi won the election from Wayanad in Kerala. He had also contested from the Gandhi bastion of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh but was defeated by BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani.