Modi launches plantation drive, unveils Shastri bust in Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a statue of former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri here on Saturday during his day-long visit to his Lok Sabha constituency to launch the BJP's countrywide membership drive.

Modi was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) working president JP Nadda and the state unit chief of the saffron party, Mahendra Nath Pandey.

Anil Shastri and Sunil Shastri, sons of late Lal Bahadur Shastri, were present at the venue as also Uttar Pradesh minister Siddharth Nath Singh, a kin of the former prime minister.

Earlier, Modi arrived at the Babatpur airport here on his second visit to his constituency after winning the parliamentary polls held in April-May.

The prime minister then proceeded to launch a tree-plantation campaign -- "Anand Kanan" -- in the temple city, before kickstarting the membership drive of the ruling party, coinciding with the 118th birth anniversary of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee.

Modi had visited his constituency on May 27 to thank people for imposing faith in his government.