Hyderabad: Chief Minister Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao celebrated his 61st birthday on Tuesday in Mumbai while party workers in the state, especially Hyderabad, celebrated his birthday with gusto.

KCR, who is in Mumbai to meet his Maharashtra counterpart Mr Devendra Fadnavis to discuss inter-state issues, cut a cake at Raj Bhavan.

Maharashtra Governor Mr Ch. Vidyasagar Rao hosted lunch and TRS secretary general Dr K. Kesava Rao, the governor and others offered cake to KCR. Ministers Mr T. Harish Rao, Mr Joguramanna, MP Mr A.P. Jitender Reddy and others were present.

Earlier, KCR visited the famous Siddhi Vinayak temple in Mumbai and offered prayers on the occasion of his birthday as well as for Maha Sivarathri. Temple priests welcomed him with orange khandvas.

This is KCR's first birthday after the formation of Telangana but he missed it due to his prior appointment with the Maharashtra CM.

“Today is KCR’s birthday and he has come here to offer prayers to Siddhi Vinayak. KCR had come to Mumbai to attend a meeting with the chief minister of Maharashtra with regard to the Pranahita Chevella project and other issues,” said, Mr B. Vinod Kumar, TRS MP and politburo member outside the temple.

Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu and several bigwigs also greeted KCR on his birthday.

In Hyderabad, the CM’s daughter Ms Kavita, who cut a 61-kg cake in the absence of her father at Telangana Bhavan along with Ministers and party leaders, compared KCR to Mahatma Gandhi.

“In 1920, a skinny man (Mahatma Gandhi) took on the might of the British and finally freed the country. Similarly, in 2001 another skinny man (KCR) rose to free Telangana from Seemandhra clutches and achieved Telangana through ahimsa,” she remarked.

She also described her father as a “star batsman who cannot be cowed down by smaller bowlers”. Several ministers including Mr G. Jagadish Reddy and Mr T. Srinivas Yadav were present. “My father doesn’t celebrate his birthdays. We were eager to celebrate, but he was never interested. I used to run to him with chocolates on his birthday. Fans, party activists and leaders used to treat it as a special day, but not my father,” she said.

Kavita said that after the formation of Telangana, the first birthday celebrations of KCR was being celebrated by all his supporters and she wished for her father’s long life.

The deputy chief minister, ministers and other TRS leaders offered prayers in temples, mosques, churches and other places of worship on the occasion, besides organising blood donation camps, distribution of fruits to patients etc.