Athletics Stadium at Saifai is all set for the performace of Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman
Saifai, the hometown of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, is all set for the two-day cultural extravaganza on the occasion of Mr Yadav's 76th birthday tomorrow.
The celebrations will start today with a musical feast at the Athletics Stadium, Saifai, where Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman and his group will regale the audience with his compositions.
"A R Rahman will perform for creating awareness on environment conservation at the stadium for which a massive stage has been set up by technicians from Mumbai and outside," lawmaker Dharmendra Yadav said, who is looking after the preparations.
The event is likely to draw over 50,000 fans and followers of the veteran politician, envoys from some 10 countries, movie stars and industrialists, sources told IANS.
Adding a dash of glamour to the event are likely to be Bollywood stars Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan (both have in the past performed at Saifai Mahotsava).
Also in attendance would be mega star Amitabh Bachchan, and his politician wife Jaya Bachchan, a Rajya Sabha MP of the Samajwadi Party. Invites have been sent to industrialists Anil Ambani and Adi Godrej. Scores of Uttar Pradesh ministers and bureaucrats will also attend.
Among political bigwigs would be Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad, Janata Dal-United president Sharad Yadav and former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda. Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik is slated to be part of the celebrations.
All government accommodation - guest houses, circuit houses and dak bungalows - and major hotels have been booked in neighbouring Mainpuri, Etawah, Firozabad and Agra to host the VVIP visitors.
"With the influx of several VVIPs and celebrities, the Saifai airstrip is being done up and security fortified there and around the venue," an official said. Visitors will get a lavish spread, mostly vegetarian fare.