India’s metropolises majority wants Hindu nationalist Modi as PM: TOI Poll

A majority view Narendra Modi as a better prime ministerial prospect.

That’s the message from an opinion poll across the country’s eight most populous cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Ahmedabad — conducted exclusively for TOI by market research agency IPSOS.

As for prime ministerial preferences, 58% picked Modi, 25 % for AAP  and only 14% thought Rahul Gandhi would make the best PM.

Respondents were divided on which party would be worst hit by AAP doing well. About a quarter said Congress would bear the brunt and a similar proportion said both the national parties would suffer equally. Interestingly, in Chennai, where politics is dominated by two regional parties, 44% felt regional parties would be worst hit.

MODI

Asked what they find most appealing about the new party, 40% cited its “sincere efforts” at addressing issues of ordinary people, another 35% said it is full of honest people who would root out corruption and 24% said the fact that it was involving people in decision making was its best aspect.

The survey has obvious limitations, like any such exercise. It is restricted to a sample of 2,015 people across the eight biggest cities and hence may not reflect the larger national mood accurately. Also, it was restricted to those aged 18 to 45 and older people may perhaps be less bullish on AAP, if earlier surveys in Delhi are anything to go by. Also, this survey was restricted to those in the top layers of society, SEC A and SEC B1. Delhi has shown that AAP’s appeal is much stronger among the relatively less well-off.

Source: Times of India