Jammu, April 23 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hailed the massive voter turnout in the first phase of West Bengal Assembly elections, calling it an "overwhelming mandate for change." Polling across 152 constituencies witnessed an impressive 91.78% turnout, one of the highest in the state's electoral history.

Addressing rallies in Krishnanagar and Mathurapur, Modi congratulated voters for their enthusiastic participation despite the heat, and praised the Election Commission for maintaining minimal violence. He noted that such peaceful polling was rare in the state over the past five decades.

The Prime Minister asserted that the high turnout reflected a shift from fear to trust, signalling people's desire to move away from th...