Prime Minister Narendra Modi today wished Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on his birthday. "Birthday greetings to Congress President Shri Rahul Gandhi," PM Modi said in a tweet. "I pray for his long and healthy life."

Gandhi turns 48 years old today and this is his first birthday since he took charge of the Congress party. Gandhi became the Congress president in December last year, replacing his mother Sonia who had served as the party's boss for a long 19 years.

PM Modi and Gandhi have had an acrimonious relationship of sorts, especially over the past months as the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party went head-to-head in several state elections.

The two have directly attacked each other's politics on several occasions as they prepare for the biggest electoral battle -- next year's Lok Sabha election.