Amethi, Jun 19 (IANS): Congressmen in Amethi and Sultanpur turned out in large numbers to celebrate Congress President Rahul Gandhi's 49th birthday on Wednesday and distributed sweets among children in slum dwellings.

Celebrations were held in party offices in both the districts where party supporters cut cakes.

Senior Congress leader Hanumant Singh in Amethi, said: "The people of Amethi are repenting the defeat of Rahul Gandhi and have come out in large numbers to celebrate his birthday. We are not using the occasion to send any message to anyone but we are celebrating the birthday of our leader," he said.

Congress leaders in Amethi distributed fruits among the patients in the hospital and gave clothes to the poor.

Several leaders from Amethi had reached Delhi to personally wish the Congress president.

Subrat Singh 'Sunny', President of Youth Congress in Sultanpur, said: "We are going into the slum areas and are distributing sweets and stationary to the children here. We are also getting the children to cut cakes."

Rahul Gandhi's birthday apparently lifted the mood of Congressmen who had been in engulfed in a sense of despair after the party faced a humiliating defeat in Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha elections. Rahul Gandhi had lost his Amethi seat to Union Minister Smriti Irani.