All roses but no celebrations as Sonia turns 62

President Pratibha Patil sent a bouquet to compliment her. Several members of the Union Cabinet are among senior party leaders who sent bouquets and messages to Gandhi who is not celebrating the birthday due to Mumbai terror strikes.

Vice-President Hamid Ansari also rang her up to wish her.

Gandhi, too, wished the Vice-President on the occasion of Id-ul-Zuha.

It was a subdued affair unlike the previous years when there used to be a carnival-like atmosphere with the party workers gathering outside her residence and dancing to the beat of drums.

This time, though party workers gathered at Gandhi8217;s 10, Janpath residence in New Delhi, there was no celebration and they queued up silently to greet their leader.

The party had last week said Gandhi will not celebrate her 62nd birthday and also asked party workers not to visit her.

However, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi were among the first to visit Gandhi to wish her.

Even after winning 3 elections on Monday, the celebrations were subdued and a sombre atmosphere prevailed outside Gandhi8217;s residence and 24 Akbar Road, the headquarters of the Congress, due to the Mumbai terror strike.