 "BJP will do better than Congress: Survey")
With only a week to go for the first phase of the general elections, a Pew research report on Monday gave the principal opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a clear edge over its rival and incumbent Congress on most issues. It said people favoured BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi over Rahul Gandhi of the Congress.
"People across the political spectrum are dissatisfied… They want a new party and personal leadership at the national level, and they express the view that BJP can do a better job handling the nation's challenges," said the report of the US-based agency.
"It is not surprising that more than six-in-10 Indians (63 per cent) prefer the BJP to lead the next national government."
The survey report was based on the interviews of 2,464 adults conducted between December 7 and January 12 in the 16 most populated states, including the national capital.
Almost an equal number of people (56 per cent) said the BJP would fight corruption better than Congress, which has been marred with a raft of corruption and impropriety allegations. The report focused on two broad agendas of Indians' views on domestic issues and their perception about the world.
It said though two-thirds of Indians were worried about a range of problems, including faltering economy and new leadership; they were upbeat about their personal finances. In the last three years, Indian economy growth has slumped from 8.9 per cent to 4.5 per cent.
The survey found that Indians have also not lost their faith in institutions like the military and courts. They reposed their faith in these bodies, believing they will do right things for India. To Congress' credit, its flagship schemes such as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the National Food Security Act have found support among the masses.
"Roughly two in 10 Indians (22 per cent) say that there have been times during the past year when they did not have enough money to buy the food their family needed," the report said.
On the international front, Indians see Pakistan and China's military might as major threats. Around 80 per cent think Pakistan as a serious threat, followed by Naxalites (67 per cent) and Pakistan-based banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (65 per cent). India blames Lashkar behind the audacious 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, where 10 gunmen had laid a siege for three days and killed more than 160 people.
After Lashkar, 46 per cent of respondents feared China to be a serious threat. "More than a third (37 per cent) of the Indian public considers China to be an enemy. Only 21 per cent see China as a partner, and 24 per cent voice no opinion." The reason attributed was a long-standing territorial dispute along the Arunachal border and the 1962 war.
The report suggested China's loss has been a US gain. The US has found popularity among men, women, and people of all age groups, education, income and region. "They generally like America and see it as the world's leading economic power. They have confidence in President Barack Obama, but they are not so sure about his international policies or the trajectory of US-India relations."
About 63 per cent respondents felt India should be more respected around the globe than it is.
"People across the political spectrum are dissatisfied… They want a new party and personal leadership at the national level, and they express the view that BJP can do a better job handling the nation's challenges," said the report of the US-based agency.
"It is not surprising that more than six-in-10 Indians (63 per cent) prefer the BJP to lead the next national government."
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According to the findings, almost every second Indian believed the BJP to be more successful in creating jobs, reducing terrorism, and reining in inflation. (IS BJP THE ANSWER TO INDIA’S ECONOMIC, SOCIAL PROBLEMS?)
The survey report was based on the interviews of 2,464 adults conducted between December 7 and January 12 in the 16 most populated states, including the national capital.
Almost an equal number of people (56 per cent) said the BJP would fight corruption better than Congress, which has been marred with a raft of corruption and impropriety allegations. The report focused on two broad agendas of Indians' views on domestic issues and their perception about the world.
It said though two-thirds of Indians were worried about a range of problems, including faltering economy and new leadership; they were upbeat about their personal finances. In the last three years, Indian economy growth has slumped from 8.9 per cent to 4.5 per cent.
The survey found that Indians have also not lost their faith in institutions like the military and courts. They reposed their faith in these bodies, believing they will do right things for India. To Congress' credit, its flagship schemes such as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the National Food Security Act have found support among the masses.
"Roughly two in 10 Indians (22 per cent) say that there have been times during the past year when they did not have enough money to buy the food their family needed," the report said.
On the international front, Indians see Pakistan and China's military might as major threats. Around 80 per cent think Pakistan as a serious threat, followed by Naxalites (67 per cent) and Pakistan-based banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (65 per cent). India blames Lashkar behind the audacious 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, where 10 gunmen had laid a siege for three days and killed more than 160 people.
After Lashkar, 46 per cent of respondents feared China to be a serious threat. "More than a third (37 per cent) of the Indian public considers China to be an enemy. Only 21 per cent see China as a partner, and 24 per cent voice no opinion." The reason attributed was a long-standing territorial dispute along the Arunachal border and the 1962 war.
The report suggested China's loss has been a US gain. The US has found popularity among men, women, and people of all age groups, education, income and region. "They generally like America and see it as the world's leading economic power. They have confidence in President Barack Obama, but they are not so sure about his international policies or the trajectory of US-India relations."
About 63 per cent respondents felt India should be more respected around the globe than it is.