PM Modi greets NCP leader Sharad Pawar on his 79th birthday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday greeted NCP  chief and former union minister Sharad Pawar on his 79th birthday and prayed for his long and healthy life. 

Taking to Twitter the PM wrote: "Greetings to Shri Sharad Pawar Ji on his birthday. Praying for his long and healthy life." 

Apart from Pawar, the PM also greeted superstar Rajinkanth and Gopinath Munde earlier this morning. 

In a series of fast-paced events, the BJP had tried to form a government with Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar in Maharashtra.

The Shiv Sena formed the new government in the state in alliance with the NCP and the Congress, finally.

Pawar was born in 1940 in Baramati, Maharashtra.

He entered Maha legislative assembly for the first time in 1967, representing Baramati on a Congress party ticket.

Later, Pawar broke away from the Congress to join the Janata Party in 1978 and become Chief Minister of Maharashtra. This Progressive Democratic Front government was dismissed in February 1980 following Indira Gandhi's return to power.

 Pawar returned to Congress (I) in 1987 and became the CM of Maharashtra t. After Rajiv Gandhi's death in 1991, he is said to have been one of the contenders for the PM post.

Also Read: Maharashtra government formation: Sharad Pawar says Sena-NCP-Congress will complete 5-year term