PM Modi to attend celebrations on Patel's birth anniversary

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in celebrations on Sardar Patel's 140th birth anniversary on October 31 which the BJP is organising on a major scale with events like 'run for unity' planned across the country for the second consecutive year.

BJP chief Amit Shah will lead the show in Bihar where he has been mostly camping in view of the Assembly polls, senior party leader and Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters.

The Prime Minister will address a programme being held in Delhi to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, who is known as 'Iron Man' of India and credited with uniting hundreds of princely states after Independence to form the Union of India.

Modi will garland Patel's statue in Parliament and then go to Vijay Chowk where a 'run for unity' is being organised, Naidu said.

Almost all ministers and party leaders will attend the programmes across the country and discussions will be held on Patel's contribution to national unity and integrity.

Modi, who has been accusing Congress of not giving due recognition to Patel, had presided over similar events last year with BJP holding country-wide functions.

"Due justice has not been done to his (Patel's) memory and contribution. His contributions needs to be remembered today," said Naidu who will be in Bengaluru.

Among others, Nitin Gadkari will be in Mumbai, Uma Bharti in Kolkata, Kalraj Mishra in Kolkata and Harsh Vardhan will be in Varanasi, Modi's Lok Sabha constituency.

Party general secretary Arun Singh said Shah, who has been camping in Bihar for weeks barring a few days of break, will be in the state to be part of the exercise. Last two phases of the state assembly polls are due on November 1 and 5.

"All party chief ministers will take part in events in their states," Singh said.