New Delhi: UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Chairperson and Congress President Sonia Gandhi turned 58 today (Dec 9, 2004).

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, almost all the Cabinet ministers including Arjun Singh, Pranab Mukherjee, Shivraj Patil, P Chidambaram and Kamal Nath, CWC (Congress Working Committee) members, AICC (All India Congress Committee) office bearers, Chief Ministers, senior party leaders visited 10, Janpath to greet her with flowers wishing her "long, healthy and successful life".

Chief Ministers of Cong-ruled States, including N D Tiwari (Uttaranchal), Vilasrao Deshmukh (Maharashtra), Dharam Singh (Karnataka) and party MPs from both the Houses of Parliament were among the early visitors who greeted Sonia.

President A P J Abdul Kalam sent a bouquet to greet her.

The celebrations drew special attention this year because of the Congress coming back to power at the Centre after eight years under her leadership.

Despite her instruction to celebrate her birthday as a low-key affair, a large number of enthusiastic party workers gathered at her residence to greet her.

Celebrations by folk dancers and music artistes from across the country marked the birthday festivities.

Folk dance artists from Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab and other parts of the country gathered outside the official residence of Gandhi this morning and performed Veerbhadra Rajmangal, Kathkali, Bhangra and other dances on the occasion.

BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) Chief Mayawati was also present among the early visitors to greet the Congress President.

RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) Chief and Railway Minister Laloo Prasad, LJP (Lok Janshakti Party) Chief and Minister for Steel Ram Vilas Paswan, TRS (Telangana Rashtriya Samithi) chief and Labour Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) leader and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) leaders and Union Ministers Dayanidhi Maran and T R Baalu and Left leaders Sitaram Yechuri and D Raja were also among those who greeted Gandhi at her residence.