Chinmayanand offers sweets to Kalyan on Monday. (PTI)

Lucknow, Jan. 5: The BJP and Congress today vied with each other to woo Kalyan Singh on his 70th birthday even as the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister attempted a balancing act, trying to cosy up to both parties.

Kalyan, who appeared to have realised how important a player he has become in state politics, today said Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin was “irrelevant”. He did so after state Congress chief Jagdambika Pal met him at his 2, Mal Avenue, residence and presented a bouquet on Sonia’s behalf.

But a Congress leader in Delhi later reacted to Pal’s visit by saying: “Pal wasn’t authorised to meet Kalyan. He must have done so in his personal capacity.” The only Congress leader authorised to meet the Rashtriya Kranti Party chief was former Union minister Subodh Kant Sahay.

BJP and RSS leaders also queued up to meet the Rashtriya Kranti Party chief. Union minister Swami Chinmayanand, who later held a one-on-one meeting with him, state BJP chief Vinay Katiyar, senior leaders Lalji Tandon and Kalraj Mishra as well as Speaker Kesri Nath Tripathi landed up to meet him. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti also rung up Kalyan.

One of the first people to greet Kalyan was chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, whose coalition government is supported by the RKP chief.

As Mulayam Singh sought his blessings before leaving for Gunnor in Badiyon district to file his papers for the Assembly by-election there, he made it clear he intends to see out his full term in office.

His PWD minister Kusum Rai, who belongs to Kalyan’s party, later set up shop outside the RKP chief’s house, which is located opposite hers.

She regaled the large crowd of visitors with songs and anecdotes referring to the changed equations between Kalyan and Mulayam Singh - the former is widely expected to rejoin the BJP shortly.

“Is chanan mein to aur guzara nahin (it’s impossible to continue like this)” Rai said as the crowd of well-wishers roared in approval. The minister proceeded to explain what was going wrong in the state, reflecting the mood of Kalyan’s supporters as visitors poured in to greet him.

Rai then broke into a song: “Bandhan chhura liya, daman tuda liya, sathiya (Our partner has severed ties and ended the friendship)”. Her supporters cheered her on: “We will follow you, drum up support for you wherever you go.”

Even so, Mulayam Singh was one of the first visitors to greet his coalition partner, dropping by at 8.30am. The flow of visitors increased soon afterwards.

The unusually large turnout prompted a veteran BJP leader to say: “We have never seen this kind of celebration on his (Kalyan’s) birthday even when he was chief minister.”

As the wily backward caste leader spoke to his former BJP colleagues and RSS leaders, Rai continued to regale the crowd with anecdotes about her association with Kalyan, his removal from the party in 1999 and his political resurrection.