Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a nationwide membership drive of the Bharatiya Janata Party from Varanasi on Saturday. He will also launch a membership drive helpline from Kashi.

Kashi region BJP spokesperson Navratan Rathi said that soon after landing here, Modi will unveil a statue of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shashtri at the Lal Bahadur Shashtri International Airport. He will then hand out plants to school children as tree guardians in a school at Harahua and launch a plantation drive by planting saplings in Anand Kanan Vatika.

Follow LIVE updates here.

Ahead of his visit, Modi also tweeted about the membership drive.

At around 11:30 this morning, I will address the programme in Varanasi marking the launch of @BJP4India’s Membership Drive.

During my speech, I will elaborate on my thoughts on the Budget and India’s growth trajectory in the coming years.

Do watch.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 6, 2019

Under the plantation drive, UP government led by Yogi Aditayanath has set a target to plant 22 crore saplings across the state and Varanasi district administration has decided to plant more than 27 lakh saplings in the district.

Modi will launch the BJP’s nationwide membership drive from the Deendayal Upadhyay Trade Facilitation Centre and Museum.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the nationwide membership drive and will also launch a helpline number here today,” Rathi said. “The nationwide membership drive of the BJP will continue till August 11.”

He will welcome of 11 people from different sections of society to the party to mark the beginning of the membership drive and will address around 5,000 BJP members.

Thereafter, PM Modi will visit virtual experiential museum at Man Mandir Mahal adjacent to Dashashwamedh Ghat here. The virtual museum based on first floor of Maan Mandir Mahal famous for its observatory.

The virtual museum gives glimpses of rich heritage of Kashi.

Superintending Archeologist Dr Neeraj Sinha confirmed the development. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a visit to visit to the virtual museum. We have completed all preparations regarding the visit and welcome PM Modi.”

Modi inaugurated the museum in February this year. The state of the art Virtual Experiential Museum (VEM) gives a 3D view of the world famous Kashi ghats, lanes and heritage to its visitors.

PM Modi last visited Varanasi on May 27 on a thanksgiving visit after the BJP’s victory in the Lok Sabha elections.

First Published: Jul 06, 2019 08:54 IST