Narendra Modi’s popularity as the next choice as India’s Prime Minister has fallen in the past six months, shows a survey conducted by India Today. According to the survey, though Prime Minister Modi got the most votes — 24% feel he is the best choice for PM — the share of votes he received has fallen from 38% in January 2020, and 66% in August 2020. According to the poll, after PM Modi, Yogi Adityanath is in second place with 11% of votes in his favour (an increase from 3% in August 2020), followed by Rahul Gandhi (10%).
India Today’s Mood of the Nation survey was conducted between July 10 and July 20, 2021, across 115 parliamentary and 230 assembly constituencies in 19 states —Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. A total of 14,559 interviews were conducted (71% rural and 29% urban areas) and 50% were face-to-face and 50% were telephonic interviews.
29% feel that the NDA government’s biggest achievement is the Supreme Court’s Ram temple verdict and 22% feel it is the revocation of Article 370. 29% feel that the biggest failure of the Union government is the price rise and the inflation, followed by unemployment.
The biggest problem India is facing is the COVID-19 pandemic, feel 23% of the responders and 19% feel it is the price rise and inflation, followed by 17% who feel unemployment is the biggest problem India faces currently.
According to the just-published India Today Mood of the Nation survey, only 24% think Modi is best choice for next PM. The second choice at 11% is Yogi Adityanath. Modi as the first choice has gone down sharply from 66% a year ago to 24% now. pic.twitter.com/wKPcIfM4bd
— Shivam Vij (@DilliDurAst) August 16, 2021
While PM Modi was voted as the best Prime Minister so far with 27% of the votes followed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee (19%), Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has been chosen the best Chief Minister in India, followed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Most responders have shared that they will vote for BJP, but the share has reduced since January 2021. 24% feel Union Home Minister Amit Shah is the best person to succeed Prime Minister Modi, followed by 19% who prefer Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. 29% feel that Amit Shah is the best performing minister in the Modi government.
According to India Today Mood of the Nation survey, only 29% respondents in Uttar Pradesh approve of #YogiAdityanath. Bad news for him as elections 6 months away. But all CMs doing badly. Not one reaching 50% approval rating. Indians are UNHAPPY. pic.twitter.com/P55OqegQTY
— Shivam Vij (@DilliDurAst) August 16, 2021
When it comes to the Opposition, 17% feel Rahul Gandhi can revive the Congress and 14% of votes have gone to Manmohan Singh. Manmohan Singh has also got the maximum votes (28%) to be the non-Gandhi leader best-suited to lead the Congress. 49% feel that an Opposition alliance is possible to challenge the Modi-led BJP at the Union government and 20% have voted that Arvind Kejriwal is best suited to do so, followed by Mamata Banerjee (17%).
When it comes to COVID-19 and the pandemic, there has been a fall in the perception of how well a Chief Minister has handled the situation. While in January 2021, 50% felt that Chief Ministers have done a good job, it fell to 42% this year. 31% feel their CM’s handling was average and 13% feel it was outstanding. The most votes have gone to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who received 73% approval in the survey for his state’s handling of the COVID-19 situation. Assam’s Himanta Biswa Sarma and Jharkhand’s Hemant Soren were next with 72% and 63% each, with Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin showing a close 62% approval.
71% of people feel that COVID-19 has killed more people in India than has been reflected in government data. 44% feel both the Union government and states are responsible for people's suffering in the second wave. 21% voted for no one.
69% percent people have shared that their income went down due to the pandemic and 17% lost their jobs. 46% feel that only big businesses have benefited the most from the NDA government's economic policies.
However, since Jan 2021, there has been a fall in the number of people who feel that the Union government is doing a good job when it comes to handling the economy. While in January 2021, 66% thought it was good, in August 2021, it has fallen to 47%. Similarly, there has been a fall in the number of people who believe communal harmony has improved under the NDA rule. In Jan 2021, while 55% said it had improved, it has fallen to 34%, and the people who believe that communal harmony has deteriorated have gone up from 22% to 34%.
57% of people feel the Union government should amend the farm laws that farmers have been protesting against for almost a year now, and 61% have voted in favour of barring people with more than two children from jobs, benefits, and elections.
There has also been a decrease in the number of people who feel India is safe for women — it went from 45% in January 2021 to 38% in August 2021.
There has been a small increase in the number of people who feel democracy is in danger in India — from 42% to 45% — and 51% agree that people are scared to protest in India fearing arrest.
51% of responders feel OTT (Over-the-top) platforms need to be censored. While actor Amitabh Bachchan has been voted the ‘Number 1 Hero’ with 24% votes, Akshay Kumar is second with 18%, followed by Rajinikanth 10%. Deepika Padukone with 17% of votes has been chosen as ‘Number 1 Heroine’ followed by Katrina Kaif (11%).