Prez, PM wishes Advani on his B'day

President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former premier Atal Bihari Vajpayee were among the first to greet senior BJP leader on his 81st birthday.

President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former premier Atal Bihari Vajpayee were among the first to greet senior BJP leader on his 81st birthday.

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"President Pratibha Patil sent a message and a bouquet while Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and veteran BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee were the first to call him on the break of the day to wish him a happy birthday," a close family aide of Advani told PTI.

The party's gift to the Octogenarian leader was a web portal dedicated to his Prime Ministerial campaign which was launched during a small function organised at the party headquarters.

"This time we are celebrating his birthday here, we are sure that the next birthday would be celebrated in the Prime Minister's Office," former party chief Venkiah Naidu said.

Advani's supporters lined up to wish him at his residence, he said, adding the senior leader had a dinner with close family friends.

NDA's alliance partners Sharad Yadav (JD-U), Prakash Singh Badal (SAD), Om Prakash Chautala (INLD), Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhuvan Chand Khanduri along with former vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat were among others to wish him on his birthday.