It was a perfect setting for a birthday - a cake, balloons, flowers and crackers – but the birthday boy was missing.

The venue was outside the 24, Akbar Road AICC headquarters where Congressmen gathered in large numbers this morning to celebrate the 39th birthday of Rahul Gandhi. However, Gandhi, hailed in the party circles as one of the architects of the party's victory in the Lok Sabha polls, was not present as he is abroad.

Phool Singh, a supporter, who wants to see the young Gandhi as the prime minister, organised a 'havan (yagna)' with the help of two priests to pray for the long life of the Amethi MP.

"We are celebrating the birthday of our leader. We want to see him as the prime minister. He is the only leader who thinks of the welfare of the country," Singh said, as 'mantras (hymns)' rent the air.

A group of youngsters burst crackers and distributed the sweets, but were disappointed when they could not meet their leader.

"He has fired the imagination of the youth. We see in him the image of his father Rajiv Gandhi," said Jitendra, a young supporter, who raised slogans eulogising the AICC general secretary.

Utilising the occasion of Rahul Gandhi's 39th birthday to woo Dalit vote-bank, the Congress organised community feasts in slum areas.

Besides party workers held a number of other programmes on "Samrasta Diwas (Harmony Day)", being observed by the party on Friday.

"We are holding community feasts in Dalit basti in all the districts, where senior leaders are hosting the lunch and dinners on the occasion of birthday of our leader Rahul Gandhi," Chief of Congress media department Akhilesh Pratap

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