PM Modi turns 76: Opposition leaders extend birthday wishes, good health
Synopsis
On PM Modi's 76th birthday, political opponents set aside rivalry — Rahul Gandhi, Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati, Sharad Pawar, and Tamil Nadu CM Joseph Vijay all extended public greetings. The BJP simultaneously launched 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan', a month-long campaign marking 25 years of Modi's public service, with disbursements marking 7 October as the milestone date.
Key Takeaways
PM Narendra Modi turned 76 on 17 September 2026 .
Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi , Mallikarjun Kharge , Akhilesh Yadav , Mayawati , Sharad Pawar , and Priyanka Chaturvedi extended birthday greetings.
Tamil Nadu CM Joseph Vijay and DMK chief M.K.
Stalin also conveyed wishes from regional leadership.
The BJP launched its month-long 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' campaign to mark Modi's 25 years of public service.
Modi will formally complete 25 years of public service on 7 October 2026 .
Modi is India's longest-serving non-Congress Prime Minister , having led the BJP to three consecutive general election wins since 2014 .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 76 on Thursday, 17 September, with leaders across the political spectrum — including those from the principal opposition — extending birthday greetings and wishing him good health and a long life.
Opposition Greetings Pour In
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, took to social media platform X to write: 'Happy birthday to PM Narendra Modi ji. Wishing you good health and a long life.' Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also conveyed his wishes, saying, 'Best wishes to Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi Ji on his birthday. May he be blessed with good health and long life.'
Congress MP Manish Tewari added: 'Wishing Narendra Modi a very happy 76th Birthday. God Bless.' Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said, 'Birthday wishes to the Prime Minister and best wishes for a healthy, active, and meaningful life.' Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati offered 'heartfelt congratulations' and wished Modi 'good health and a healthy life.'
NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar said, 'Heartfelt birthday wishes to the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi ji. Wishing you good health and a long life.' Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote, 'Wishing Hon. PM Shri Narendra Modi a very happy birthday. I wish him good health and happiness always.'
Regional Leaders Join In
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay extended greetings, saying, 'I extend my heartfelt birthday wishes to the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India Thiru. Narendra Modi avargal, who leads with dedication towards building a strong India. I wholeheartedly wish you a long life filled with good health.' DMK chief and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin also wished the Prime Minister, writing: 'Warm birthday greetings to Hon'ble Prime Minister Thiru. Narendra Modi. Wishing him good health, happiness and a long life.'
BJP Launches 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan'
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday launched a special month-long campaign titled 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' to mark the completion of 25 years of Prime Minister Modi's public life and service. While 17 September marks his birthday, October marks the formal completion of 25 years of his public service career.
BJP National President Nitin Nabin, at a press conference at party headquarters on 9 September, had announced that Modi would complete 25 years of public service on 7 October, and that the party would run the month-long campaign to mark the occasion.
Modi's Political Journey
Prime Minister Modi is India's longest-serving non-Congress Prime Minister, having led the BJP to three consecutive general election victories since 2014. He began his political career as a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) before rising to become the dominant face of Indian politics over the past decade. Notably, even opposition leaders offering birthday greetings underscores the cross-party acknowledgement of his position, though political rivalries remain sharp on policy fronts.
Point of View
Not a political softening — and reading reconciliation into them would miss the broader context of a deeply adversarial opposition bloc. What is more noteworthy is the BJP's 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' launch: framing 25 years of public service as a campaign event is a deliberate image-consolidation exercise ahead of several upcoming state elections. The cross-party participation in greetings also reflects how completely Modi has become the defining reference point in Indian politics — even critics must position themselves relative to him. The opposition's challenge, as birthdays come and go, remains substantive policy differentiation rather than ceremonial messaging.
NationPress
17 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which opposition leaders wished PM Modi on his 76th birthday?
Leaders including Congress's Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav, BSP's Mayawati, NCP(SP)'s Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Priyanka Chaturvedi, Tamil Nadu CM Joseph Vijay, and DMK chief M.K. Stalin all extended birthday greetings to PM Modi on 17 September.
What is the BJP's 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan'?
'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' is a month-long BJP campaign launched on 17 September 2026 to mark 25 years of PM Modi's public life and service. The formal completion of 25 years falls on 7 October 2026, as announced by BJP National President Nitin Nabin.
How old is PM Modi and what is his political background?
PM Narendra Modi turned 76 on 17 September 2026. He began his political career with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and has led the BJP to three consecutive general election wins since 2014, making him India's longest-serving non-Congress Prime Minister.
What did Rahul Gandhi say in his birthday message to PM Modi?
Rahul Gandhi posted on social media platform X: 'Happy birthday to PM Narendra Modi ji. Wishing you good health and a long life.' The message was brief and formulaic, consistent with standard parliamentary courtesy.
When did Tamil Nadu CM Joseph Vijay wish PM Modi?
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay extended birthday greetings on 17 September 2026, saying he wished Modi 'a long life filled with good health' and acknowledging his 'dedication towards building a strong India.'
