Grand celebrations in Rampur for Mulayam Singh's birthday

LUCKNOW: A 75-feet-long cake and a Victorian 'buggy' hired from London are among the highlights of the grand celebrations to be held in Rampur on the eve of SP chief Mulayam Singh's 76th birthday tomorrow.

"The birthday celebrations will start from tomorrow midnight and Netaji (Mulayam) along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will reach Rampur in afternoon," SP spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said.

A special Victorian 'buggy' (horse-drawn carriage), which has been hired from London, would carry Mulayam Singh in the stronghold of his trusted lieutenant and senior UP Minister Azam Khan for a distance of around 14 km from the CRPF camp to Maulana Ali Jauhar University, sources said.

A cultural programme will be organised where the SP supremo will cut a 75-feet-long cake as the clock will strike 12.

On the day of his birthday, the SP supremo will lay the foundation stone of a medical college, besides addressing a public meeting.

Uttarakhand Governor Aziz Qureshi and several other dignitaries will attend the function at the Mohammad Ali Jauhar University here.

The Samajwadi Party has decided to celebrate Singh's 76th birthday as 'Samta Diwas'.

"The party has decided to celebrate 76th birthday of the party's founder and national president as 'Samta Diwas'," Chaudhary had said earlier.

He had said Akhilesh Yadav has asked all district and city units to organise different programmes on the occasion and take resolve to fulfil dreams of 'Netaji' (Mulayam).

Former district unit chief of Farukkhabad Satish Dixit said "gulgule" (sweets) would be distributed on the occasion.