New Delhi, Sept. 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's whirlwind pace of campaigning scheduled for Bihar has been reduced.

Modi will address only about 10 meetings instead of the 20 and odd rallies that he was expected to address across ten districts in the poll-bound state, The Telegraph has learnt.

Bihar will have a five-phase election from October 12 to November 5.

No sooner that he returns from the US than Modi will be on the campaign trail. The truncation of the Prime Minister's election schedule is attributed to two reasons.

First, addressing too many meetings could result in overkill. Second, security agencies face a virtual nightmare for the SPG protectee's bandobast.

For the leader who travelled non-stop during the general elections and every state election that followed, it is rare that the pace of campaigning is ever reduced. Modi's energy to move during the polls is recognised even by his rivals.

Preparations are afoot for Modi's rallies in Banka on October 2 and on October 5 in Lakhisarai. On October 8, the Prime Minister is likely to address a poll meeting in Munger.

"The state unit of the party was given the liberty to decide the number of rallies the Prime Minister will address," said a source.

Modi has already addressed rallies in Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Saharsa and Bhagalpur.

"Dates are undecided for other locations but it is going to be hectic," said a source. In the national capital, security agencies and intelligence agencies are holding back-to-back meetings almost on a daily basis.

Security agencies are not taking any chances as they feel that though the Naxalites' power has been eroded over the past year, the insurgents could take their chances.

On the flip side, central agencies feel that the Bihar police's coordination has improved vastly over the past year and a half.

Lessons have apparently been learnt by the Bihar police from the October of 2013. There were blasts at the Gandhi Maidan in Patna while Modi was addressing a rally in the run-up to the general election. Then, chief minister Nitish Kumar and Bihar police had cut a sorry figure.

"The state police coordination is much better now," said a security official overseeing arrangements from New Delhi.

In subsequent legs of campaigning, Modi will hold rallies in Darbhanga, Munger and Purnea. He may hold more than one rally in some of the districts.

Later the Prime Minister will visit areas close to Nepal again.

He will choose from either West Champaran or East Champaran. The BJP is yet to finalise whether he will visit Motihari or Madhubani. Choice will be made from neighbouring Ara or Rohtas and between Siwan and Chhapra, said sources.