Bharatiya Janata Party national vice-president Kalraj Mishra today batted for Gandhi family scion Varun Gandhi, saying Varun is the youth mascot of the BJP and will be bestowed with more organisational responsibilities.

"Varun will be given more responsibilities in the UP elections and his attachment with the youths could restore the fortunes of the party,'' he told UNI.

The senior BJP Rajya Sabha member also said that party has started preparing itself for the coming 2012 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

''Varun had stood by his ideologies and even after facing several hardships (following lodging of criminal cases and even NSA), he never compromised on the issues,'' he said.

Mishra, who have been nominated in party's highest forum- Parliamentary Board-,said that popularity of Varun Gandhi is growing day by day and he is being appreciated for his speeches.

The BJP leader criticised the move of the Jammu and Kashmir government to impose tax on the pligrims going to Amarnath.

''Such step to impose tax on religious visit is unconstitutional and it should be withdrawn immediately,'' he demanded.