Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address three campaign rallies in Bengal on May 3, which will take the count of his outings in the state to 12 even before the third phase of the general election.

In the seven-phase 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Modi had addressed a total of 17 election rallies in Bengal.

A BJP leader said the trend suggested that the Prime Minister would "carpet-bomb Bengal" with rallies in the next four phases, which would result in a higher number of rallies in the state this time in comparison to 2019.

"Although we don't know the actual number of rallies Modiji will address till the last phase, it will certainly exceed the number of rallies he attended in 2019. It may be 20 or 22 or more than that," a BJP leader said.

On May 3, Modi will address three back-to-back rallies in Birbhum, East Burdwan, and Krishnagar. It will be his second rally in Krishnagar — the home turf of expelled Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra — after the first one on March 2.

Modi started his campaign for this election in Bengal on March 1, from Hooghly's Arambagh and has so far attended nine such rallies, with the last one in Malda on April 26 — the second phase polling day.

A source in the BJP said that the party is planning to bring Modi to Bengal a maximum number of times as there is a realisation that his rallies result in swings in favour of the party. Union home minister Amit Shah had set a target for the party to win 35 seats from Bengal, in April last year, at a public meeting in Birbhum's Suri.

"Modiji is attending three or four rallies a day during this election season. We want him to address rallies in all possible seats where the party has some special focus. This is the first time when he will also attend two roadshows in Calcutta. Modiji is our brand, and most of the candidates in Bengal want at least one rally by him in his or her constituency," said a senior BJP leader in Calcutta.

"So, the quota for Bengal will increase, too," he added.

According to a BJP insider, the frequency of Modi's visits will increase in the last three phases, as there are only three states — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Bengal — where the election will be held in seven phases.

"There are 22 states and Union Territories where the election is scheduled in a single phase. After the third phase is over, Modiji will get more time to concentrate on these states, where the election will continue till the last phase," said the source.

Trinamool Congress leaders, however, said that the BJP has been daydreaming about winning more seats in Bengal.

"The Prime Minister also visited Bengal like a daily passenger in 2021, and everyone knows the result," said Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.