Narendra Modi to celebrate birthday in Gujarat on Sep 17

AHMEDABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will celebrate his 66th birthday in his home state Gujarat, seeking blessings of his mother and spending time with tribals and 'divyangs' (differently abled persons).

This will be Modi's third visit in recent times to Gujarat, where Assembly elections are scheduled to be held next year.

"After his arrival in Ahmedabad on September 17, he will first go to Gandhinagar to seek blessings of his mother Hiraba and meet other family members," Gujarat BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya told PTI.

Modi's mother lives with his younger brother Pankaj Modi in Gandhinagar.

Later, he would go to the tribal district of Dahod to inaugurate an irrigation project and will also address a public rally.

Dahod District Collector Lalit Padaliya said the inauguration ceremony as well as the rally will be held at Limkheda town, around 25 km from the city.

"The Prime Minister will inaugurate the Kadana-Hafeshwar irrigation project, which will provide water to several remote villages of this district. The programme will be held at Limkheda during morning," Padaliya said, adding that later he will address a public meeting.

Later in the afternoon that day, he would go to Navsari where he is scheduled to take part in a function to distribute aides to differently-abled persons.

"In Navsari, PM will distribute various kits and aides to 'divyang' citizens. He will also address a large gathering near Navsari town," Pandya said.

The BJP is likely to facing a challenge in Gujarat in the run up to the polls following the Patel quota agitation and the stir by Dalits after the Una incident.

Last month Modi visited Gujarat twice -- once to condole the death of Sawminarayan saint Pramukhswami Maharaj and the second time to inaugurate an irrigation scheme in Saruashtra region.