Modi's rallies in Kolkata, Siliguri on April 3

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address two rallies - one at north Bengal's Siliguri and other at Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground -- on April 3 ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, a party leader said on Sunday.

"His first public meeting will be in Siliguri at 1 p.m. and then he will attend a rally at Brigade Parade Ground at 3 p.m.," BJP leader Mukul Roy told reporters.

He said no political party had earlier shown the courage to organise a Brigade rally as well as a rally in North Bengal in one day.

"We will successfully organise both the rallies in the time frame of just 10 days. People of north Bengal will come to Siliguri while supporters and activists will join the Brigade rally," he said.

Modi held three rallies in Bengal's Thakurnagar, Durgapur and Jalpaiguri in February where he launched a scathing attack on the Mamata Banerjee government, blaming it for violence, corruption and extortion.

Permission for party's "Save Democracy" programme was denied by West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress and a planned rally at the iconic Brigade could not be organised earlier because it was initially part of the Save democracy programme, Roy said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party holds two Lok Sabha seats in the state and hopes to win at least 22 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats.

West Bengal will see seven-phased polling from April 11 to May 19.

--IANS

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