Modi, Shah & Yogi to address rallies in all phases in WB

The BJP leadership has decided to carpet-bomb West Bengal with rallies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during all the seven phases of polling.

Modi will address his first election rally in the city's Brigade Parade ground on April 3, a senior state BJP leader said.

"Modi ji will address at least one rally in each phase in the state. Amit Shah ji will also address one rally per phase and Yogiji will address eight rallies in all," the leader said.

West Bengal is one of the priority states for the BJP in the country.

The saffron party, which bagged two Lok Sabha seats in the state in the 2014 elections, is now targeting 23 of the state's 42 constituencies.

The Lok Sabha election in the state is a "semi-final match" for the BJP before it goes out for an all-out battle to oust the Mamata Banerjee-headed Trinamool Congress government in the 2021 assembly polls, party leaders said.

A senior state BJP leader said apart from Odisha, West Bengal is the focus for the party in eastern India.

The saffron party is hoping to overcome its deficit in the number of seats from states of North India, where it has reached a saturation point, by winning more seats from states like West Bengal and Odisha, the leader said.

Lok Sabha elections will be held in West Bengal in seven phases from April 11 to May 19.