Tamil Nadu's BJP unit drops plan for celebrating PM Narendra Modi's birthday

CHENNAI: The BJP's state unit today dropped plans for grand celebrations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday tomorrow, with the party scheduled to launch a drive to collect donations for flood relief efforts in Jammu and Kashmir.

The office-bearers were making arrangements for a grand affair when the Prime Minister asked that his birthday be not celebrated due to the devastating floods in Jammu and Kashmir, state unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan said.

After holding low-key celebrations, the party workers will launch the donation drive for five days starting tomorrow in line with his appeal for contribution towards relief efforts, she said in a statement.

Modi had on Sunday appealed to his friends and well-wishers not to celebrate his birthday and instead dedicate time and resources towards relief work in this hour of need for flood-ravaged Jammu and Kashmir.