Sonia Gandhi (ANI photo)
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended greetings to former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on her 79th birthday. “Birthday greetings to Smt. Sonia Gandhi Ji. May she be blessed with a long life and good health,” PM Modi wrote on X. The Congress hailed her “visionary” leadership, crediting her with “transforming” the country through several landmark rights-based laws — a reference to her tenure as chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the Congress-led coalition that governed India from 2004 to 2014.”Laws like MGNREGA, Right to Education, Right to Information, and the National Food Security Act gave millions jobs, hope, education, voice, and dignity. Her lifelong commitment to women’s empowerment, social justice, and inclusive growth continues to uplift millions all across the country. Her grit and dedication inspire us every day,” the party said. Sonia Gandhi led the Congress from 1998 to 2017, making her the longest-serving president in the party’s history. She later returned as interim chief from 2019 to 2022. In June 2024, she was re-elected as president of the Congress Parliamentary Party. Her son, Rahul Gandhi — also a former Congress president — is the current Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, where he represents Uttar Pradesh’s Raebareli constituency, a seat she held from 2004 to 2024 before moving to the Rajya Sabha. Her daughter, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, is a Congress general secretary and the MP from Kerala’s Wayanad seat.