PM Modi to launch BJP's membership drive in Varanasi today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit his parliamentary constituency Varanasi today to launch the BJP's countrywide membership drive. "The drive will further connect people from all walks of life with the BJP family. It will strengthen our party," Modi tweeted. "On the Jayanti of our inspiration, Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, BJP's membership drive will begin. I will be joining the programme in Kashi to mark the same," he said.

He will address party workers, besides unveiling a statue of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri at the local airport, said a party functionary. The prime minister will also launch a tree-plantation campaign, "Anand Kanan", in the temple city. Modi will address around 5,000 party workers at Deendayal Upadhyaya Trade Facilitation Centre in Bada Lalpur, where he will launch the membership drive and facilitate some of the party workers.

It will be Modi's second visit to the constituency after winning the Lok Sabha elections. PM Modi had visited his constituency on May 27 to thank people for keeping faith in his government.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor Ram Naik will receive the prime minister at the Varanasi airport, along with BJP working president J P Nadda and Union minister Mahendra Nath Pandey. Sharing the details of the BJP's membership drive, its vice-president Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the party has set a target of adding minimum 20 per cent more workers in its current strength through this drive, which will conclude on August 11.

Anyone can become member by giving a missed call on a mobile number or by filing a form, Chouhan said in a statement. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will participate in the BJP's membership drive programme in Jaipur, BJP chief and Home Minister Amit Shah in Hyderabad and Union Road Minister Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur.