New Delhi, June 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday extended birthday wishes to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who turned 49-year-old today. The PM took to Twitter to send his greetings to the Gandhi scion, one of his most stringent political rivals in the nation. Rahul Gandhi Birthday Special: Check Out Rare Family and Childhood Pictures of the Congress President

"Best wishes to Shri @RahulGandhi on his birthday. May he be blessed with good health and a long life," PM Modi posted on the microblogging website.

Here's What Narendra Modi Tweeted:

Modi's outreach to Rahul Gandhi comes two days after the Prime Minister assured the Opposition that their words in the Parliament will be counted despite their dwindling numbers.

"Every word of the Opposition is valuable for us," Modi had said, adding, "The role of an active Opposition is important. Opposition need not bother about their numbers. I hope they will speak actively and participate in house proceedings."

Modi said the next five years is essential for all lawmakers to strive towards lifting the standard of parliamentary debates. His appeal comes amid criticism from the civil society over unprecedented legislative hours being wasted in sloganeering and ruckus inside the House.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 19, 2019 09:07 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).