BJP Plans Month-Long Celebrations for PM Modi's 76th Birthday

The BJP has planned month-long programmes to celebrate PM Modi's 76th birthday (September 17). The most prominent among these is a bikers'ride from Vadnagar in Gujarat (Modi's birthplace) to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh (his parliamentary constituency) that is likely to draw thousands of people. According to party sources, 10-10 biker groups from Vadnagar and Varanasi will travel between the two cities. Various outreach and outreach programmes will also be held along the way. The event is also an attempt to increase engagement with the youth ahead of next year's assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. Elections in Uttar Pradesh are due early next year and Gujarat by the end of the year. This time the programmes have been put on a larger scale as Modi will complete 25 years as the head of the government (including his tenure as Gujarat's chief minister) on October 7. The programmes starting on September 17 include drawing and speech competitions for school students from across the country, social media hackathon and welfare programmes. Union ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Mansukh Mandaviya have been entrusted with the responsibility of 25 organisations, including Smriti Irani, Smriti Irani's campaign.