Modi, Jaitley, Advani, felicitate Badal on birthday

Chandigarh The Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi led hundreds of thousands of well wishers in felicitating the Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal on his birthday today. The Prime Minister specially called up the Chief Minster in the latter’s ancestral village, Badal, from Delhi to “wish him a long life and many, many more years of service to the people and the country.” Mr Modi and Mr Badal were together yesterday at the Chief Minister’s meet called by the Prime Minister in new Delhi. The Prime Minister recalled “his long years of very warm personal association”with Mr Badal and expressed the hope and prayers for this to continue in their lives in future also.

Later, the Union Finance Minister Mr Arun Jaitley also felicitated Mr Badal “most warmly and profusely” on the latter’s birthday. Mr. Jaitley, who has had a long personal and political association with the Punjab Chief Minister, telephoned the Chief Minister and said that Mr Badal continues to be a role model and inspiration for all present and aspiring public figures in the country.
The BJP patriarch, Mr Lal Krishan Advani also joined many national and regional leaders in wishing Mr Badal a “”long , healthy and fruitful life and decades of service to the country in times to come:” Giving this information, Mr Badal’s Advisor on National Affairs Harcharan Bains said that the Chief Minister was thronged by party workers, cabinet colleagues and leaders who came to offer best wishes to him at his residence in ancestral village Mr Badal has thanked the people “for the love and good will showered on him by them throughout his life. “I have been deeply moved by your love and affection and will always continue to be worthy of it,” said Mr Badal in a statement released from Chandigarh late in the evening.