FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 12 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | Cultural Signal | Friday, 24 April 2026 SPORTS WORLD EDITORIAL SILIGURI PERSPECTIVE Page 10 Page 6 RCB aim to reignite firepower against unsettled Gujarat Titans Tiny island is a giant political symbol US military says it has seized another oil tanker linked to Iran Page 12 Page 7 Bengal, Tamil Nadu record bumper voter turnout VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 23 April W est Bengal and Tamil Nadu both recorded bumper voter turnouts of 91.78 per cent and 84.69 per cent, respectively, as the two states went to the polls to elect new Assemblies on Thursday ~ West Bengal in the first of two phases and Tamil Nadu in a single phase. Whether this can be seen as an indication of the direction the wind will blow on 4 May, the day votes will be counted, remains an open question. What it clearly reflects is the people’s strong belief in and active participation in India’s democratic process. Despite some incidents of violence as the first phase of the Assembly elections progressed across 152 consti- tuencies in Bengal, voter turnout in the keenly contested state was touching 90 per cent by 5 p.m. Tamil Nadu ~ where voters elected all 234 legislators in a single phase ~ was also within kissing distance of the 80 per cent mark by that hour. Observers say high turnout percentages are indicators, but not necessarily of the outcome. High turnout signals engagement and intensity, they show people care but not who they are voting for. The fact is, it is difficult to establish a clear relationship between turnout and anti-incumbency as multiple factors are at play. The BJP had especially made the Bengal elections a prestige issue, deploying top leadership ~ from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Home Minister Amit Shah, chief ministers and popular leaders ~ and leaving no stone unturned in its high-pitched campaign to unseat incumbent Mamata Banerjee. Even as the state voted, PM Modi took a jibe at the ruling TMC, saying, “Jhalmuri maine khayi, lekin jhal TMC ko lagi hai.”. The day saw a steady upward trajectory in participation across both states. Turnout was 17.69 per cent in Tamil Nadu and 18.76 per cent in West Bengal at 9:00 a.m, rising to 37.56 per cent and 41.11 per cent by 11:00 a.m. By 1:00 p.m, both states had crossed the halfway mark, with Tamil Nadu at 56.81 per cent and West Bengal at 62.18 per cent. The momentum continued through the afternoon, reaching 70.00 per cent and 78.77 per cent respectively by 3:00 p.m, reflecting sustained voter engagement. Security arrangements were extensive, particularly in Bengal, where Central forces were deployed to maintain order. Election officials reported brisk polling through the afternoon, with long queues still visible at multiple polling stations at 5:00 p.m. • Election reports: Pg 8 Jaishankar calls for stronger India-Africa engagement in turbulent times STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 23 April Observing that the India-Africa relationship is rooted in civilisational linkages, nurtured over centuries through trade, cultural exchanges and human interactions, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said the partnership between the two sides has assumed particular significance as the world navigates through complex geo-political and geo-economic challenges. Launching the theme, logo, and website for the fourth India-Africa Forum Summit to be held in India, he said the India-Africa relationship is a message of stability in a turbulent world, of reliability in an uncertain one and of solidarity in difficult times. The foreign minister said defence, security and maritime cooperation play an important role in the engagement between India and Africa.’’ Driven by the Vision MAHASAGAR, we are working closely with many of you to ensure the security and stability of the Indian Ocean region, combat piracy, promote safe and open sea lanes, and collaborate in UN peacekeeping operations,’’ he said. He said the two sides are pushing new frontiers in digital, fintech, and innovation, reshaping economies across the African continent. Both India and Africa are looking forward to stronger focus on co-creation, mutual investments and joint innovation, aligned with their respective long-term development frameworks. He was of the view that the forthcoming India-Africa Forum Summit truly presents Centre rejects reports of ` 25-28 fuel price spike post-elections STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 23 April Amid the ongoing fuel concerns triggered by the West Asia conflict, several reports have indicated a possible hike in petrol and diesel prices across the country after the completion of the ongoing Assembly elections in several states, as elevated crude oil prices begin to strain the country’s fuel pricing system. However, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has dismissed these claims as “fake,” stating that there is no such proposal under consideration. Certain sections of the media reported that petrol and diesel prices could rise by Rs 25-28 per litre after the ongoing Assembly elections. Citing Kotak Institutional Equities, the report noted that fuel prices have remained unchanged despite a sharp rise in crude oil driven by tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. The current freeze in retail fuel prices is becoming increasingly unsustainable, India, USA engaged in ongoing discussions on trade deal: MEA New Delhi: India and the USA are engaged in ongoing discussions to finalise a comprehensive trade agreement aimed at benefitting both countries, the Ministry of External Affairs stated on Thursday. “A team from India went to Washington DC for negotiations on the bilateral trade agreement. These engagements are ongoing and constructive. Both sides are working towards a balanced, mutually beneficial and forward-looking trade agreement, taking into account each other's concerns and priorities, and to reach a trade target of US $500 billion by 2030,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. Mr Jaiswal also disclosed that ten Indian ships have safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz in the last few weeks. Addressing his weekly media briefing in New Delhi, Mr Jaiswal stated: “Ten Indian Vessels have exited the Strait of Hormuz safely in the last few weeks, while 14 Indian ships are still in the Persian Gulf.” the report said, with oil marketing companies (OMCs) absorbing significant losses, with an estimated incremental impact of around Rs 27,000 crore per month. Clarifying on this, the Ministry said in a post on X that no such proposal is under consideration by the government. “Such news items are designed to create fear and panic amongst the citizens and are mischievous and misleading. In fact, India is the only country where petrol and diesel prices haven’t increased in the last 4 years. Govt of India and Oil PSUs have taken relentless steps in order to insulate the Indian citizens from steep increases in international prices,” the post read. a unique opportunity to further deepen the India-Africa engagement. The Summit will provide a platform to shape the next phase of partnership - one that is more ambitious, one that is more inclusive, and one that is more future-oriented. Mr Jaishankar said Africa today occupies a central place in India’s foreign policy. India’s engagement with Africa is guided by a clear vision - a vision rooted in the principle of equality, mutual respect, and of shared progress. The ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ and Africa’s ‘Agenda 2063’ are both complementary road maps which are geared towards prosperity and progress through sustainable growth and inclusive development. High voter turnout signals ‘end of fear’ in Bengal: PM BISWABRATA GOSWAMI Krishnagar, 23 April Seizing on what he described as an unprecedented surge in voter participation and a marked decline in poll violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday declared that West Bengal was witnessing the “end of fear politics” and a decisive mandate for change. Addressing an election rally ‘India great country’: Trump after posting hell-hole comments STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 23 April US President Donald Trump on Thursday said India was a great country with a “very good friend” leading it, hours after he reposted online a podcast by US right-wing political commentator Michael Savage, where the latter had referred to India, China and other nations as “hell holes”. Christopher Elms, spokesperson for the US Embassy in New Delhi, said that the Republican leader spoke warmly of India, calling it a great nation and noting that he shares a personal friendship with its leader. “India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top,” Mr Elms quoted Mr Trump as saying. Mr Trump earlier triggered controversy after reposting the podcast, along with a four-page transcript on his Truth Social platform, which included several controversial statements, with India and China described as “hellhole[s] on the planet.” The remarks were made by Mr Savage in the transcript shared by Mr Trump, not by the US President himself. On Mr Trump's derogatory post, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, said: “We have seen some reports. That is where I leave it.” In a rant calling for changes in US laws, Mr Savage criticised birthright citizenship and immigration trends, alleging misuse of the system by foreign nationals. Referring to India and China, Mr Savage claimed that people were travelling to the United States “to drop a baby on our shores” and later bring “the entire family in from China or India or some other hellhole on the planet.” in Krishnagar in Nadia district amid the first phase of Assembly polling, Mr Modi framed the high turnout as a political turning point. He also observed that “for the first time in fifty years, elections in Bengal have seen minimal violence,” and credited the Election Commission of India for restoring democratic credibility in the state. “This is not an election being fought by political parties or leaders; it is being led by the people of Bengal themselves,” he said, projecting the polls as a mass uprising against what he repeatedly termed the TMC’s “jungle raj.” Mr Modi alleged that the ruling dispensation had presided over a climate of fear, corruption, and institutional decay, claiming that voices suppressed for years were now “speaking in unison across villages and streets.” He said the public mood reflected a clear demand for regime change, invoking the slogan “Enough is Enough” to underline what he described as a groundswell of anger. Mr Modi also sought to draw a direct correlation between high voter turnout and electoral success for the Bharatiya Janata Party, predicting that the “lotus will bloom” in Bengal when votes are counted on 4 May. “Wherever there has been record voting in the country, it has translated into decisive victories for the BJP,” he said. In a pointed attack on the TMC’s development record, he accused the state government of failing to deliver on key promises, including industrial growth, employment generation, and infrastructure expansion. He cited the closure of factories and jute mills, inadequate healthcare services, and urban mismanagement as evidence of administrative failure. Particularly highlighting river degradation in Nadia, he alleged that the Jalangi river was in a “critical state” and that encroachments had all but erased the Anjana river, blaming “land mafias operating under political protection.”