<p>Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party started a week-long sapling plantation drive and organised 'bhandaras' (community feasts) and blood donation camps to mark the birthday of its president <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/uttar-pradesh/up-sp-plantation-3086444">Akhilesh Yadav's birthday</a> on Monday.</p>.<p>Yadav was born on July 1, 1973.</p>.<p>The party workers are celebrating Yadav's birthday in a simple manner by planting saplings, SP chief spokesperson Rajendra Chowdhury told <em>PTI</em>.</p>.<p>"A statewide 'PDA sapling' plantation programme has started on Monday and will continue till July 7 to mark the birthday of party president Akhilesh Yadav," he said.</p>.<p>Under this programme, which will be organised in every village of the state, "saplings of banyan, peepal and neem will be planted as PDA trees, which will give the 'praanvaayu' of social equality-equity everyday as a symbol of social justice along with the conservation of the environment," Chowdhury said.</p>.Sengol in Parliament: Samajwadi Party MP's remark triggers row, politicians weigh in.<p>He added that efforts will be made to convert the "PDA tree" plantation drive into a nationwide movement in the future.</p>.<p>Before the Lok Sabha elections, Yadav had coined the slogan of PDA -- Pichhadha, Dalit, Alpsankhyak (backward, Dalit and minority) -- to woo the voters of these communities. </p><p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/uttar-pradesh/nda-india-in-another-face-off-in-up-assembly-by-polls-3086251">Uttar Pradesh</a> Chief Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/uttar-pradesh/need-to-make-changes-in-building-byelaws-in-up-cm-yogi-adityanath-3078447">Yogi Adityanath</a> extended his best wishes to Yadav on the occasion.</p>.<p>"Heartiest congratulations to Samajwadi Party's national president and former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, on his birthday. I pray to Lord Shri Ram that you have a long life and excellent health," Adityanath posted in Hindi on X.</p>.<p>Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati also wished the SP chief on his birthday.</p>.<p>"Heartiest congratulations and best wishes for a long life to Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and MP, on his birthday today. Warm congratulations to his family members on this occasion as well," she posted in Hindi on X. </p>
<p>Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party started a week-long sapling plantation drive and organised 'bhandaras' (community feasts) and blood donation camps to mark the birthday of its president <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/uttar-pradesh/up-sp-plantation-3086444">Akhilesh Yadav's birthday</a> on Monday.</p>.<p>Yadav was born on July 1, 1973.</p>.<p>The party workers are celebrating Yadav's birthday in a simple manner by planting saplings, SP chief spokesperson Rajendra Chowdhury told <em>PTI</em>.</p>.<p>"A statewide 'PDA sapling' plantation programme has started on Monday and will continue till July 7 to mark the birthday of party president Akhilesh Yadav," he said.</p>.<p>Under this programme, which will be organised in every village of the state, "saplings of banyan, peepal and neem will be planted as PDA trees, which will give the 'praanvaayu' of social equality-equity everyday as a symbol of social justice along with the conservation of the environment," Chowdhury said.</p>.Sengol in Parliament: Samajwadi Party MP's remark triggers row, politicians weigh in.<p>He added that efforts will be made to convert the "PDA tree" plantation drive into a nationwide movement in the future.</p>.<p>Before the Lok Sabha elections, Yadav had coined the slogan of PDA -- Pichhadha, Dalit, Alpsankhyak (backward, Dalit and minority) -- to woo the voters of these communities. </p><p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/uttar-pradesh/nda-india-in-another-face-off-in-up-assembly-by-polls-3086251">Uttar Pradesh</a> Chief Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/uttar-pradesh/need-to-make-changes-in-building-byelaws-in-up-cm-yogi-adityanath-3078447">Yogi Adityanath</a> extended his best wishes to Yadav on the occasion.</p>.<p>"Heartiest congratulations to Samajwadi Party's national president and former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, on his birthday. I pray to Lord Shri Ram that you have a long life and excellent health," Adityanath posted in Hindi on X.</p>.<p>Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati also wished the SP chief on his birthday.</p>.<p>"Heartiest congratulations and best wishes for a long life to Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and MP, on his birthday today. Warm congratulations to his family members on this occasion as well," she posted in Hindi on X. </p>