Prime Minister Modi's 76th birthday has revealed a competitive streak among party-led states Image: Santosh Kumar/Hindustan Times/IMAGOToday is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, and his Bharatiya Janata Party is pulling out all the stops to celebrate the milestone.
The celebrations, branded the "Seva Sankalp Abhiyan" — meaning "Service and Resolution Campaign" in Hindi — run from September 17 to October 17.
In Odisha, party leadership has asked people to light the lamps and upload photographs and videos on social media, local media reported.
In Modi's home state of Gujarat, Interior Minister Amit Shah has launched a bike rally from the PM's birthplace of Vadnagar to his constituency, Varanasi.
With the BJP's state arms running their own social media campaigns to celebrate the leader, who will be the real winner?
Prime Minister Modi's 76th birthday has revealed a competitive streak among party-led states Image: Santosh Kumar/Hindustan Times/IMAGO
Today is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, and his Bharatiya Janata Party is pulling out all the stops to celebrate the milestone.
The leader's 76th birthday has turned into an unofficial race by BJP-ruled states, with each arm of the political party attempting to outshine each other via campaigns that involve lighting candles, elaborate social media output, drawing competitions, motorbike rallies and more.
BJP-led state governments have launched a month-long series of celebrations marking the birthday and 25 years in public office, a move not usually associated with heads of state in recent years.
In Delhi, schools have been directed to hold earthen lamp-lighting ceremonies on campus, The Wire reported, with schools also told to record and upload video footage of the events.
The celebrations, branded the "Seva Sankalp Abhiyan" — meaning "Service and Resolution Campaign" in Hindi — run from September 17 to October 17. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has said the campaign will also include blood donation drives — also being run in other states — as well as the inauguration of development projects worth roughly 13,820 crore rupees (around €1.25 million or $1.45 million).
The lamp-lighting ceremony, dubbed the "Ashirwad Ka Diya" or "lamp of blessing" programme, will also take place across other BJP-led states, including West Bengal, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and more.
In Odisha, party leadership has asked people to light the lamps and upload photographs and videos on social media, local media reported.
In Modi's home state of Gujarat, Interior Minister Amit Shah has launched a bike rally from the PM's birthplace of Vadnagar to his constituency, Varanasi.
There were also prayers conducted at several temples across the country.
With the BJP's state arms running their own social media campaigns to celebrate the leader, who will be the real winner?
