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The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is expected to perform better than the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) if an election were held now, said a survey by ABP News-Nielsen.
In more good news for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 47 per cent of the respondents favoured Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the prime minister, followed by Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister (PM) Manmohan Singh. The PM's performance has been found even less satisfactory than the UPA's overall one.
"Modi emerges as the clear choice of the people for the post of the PM. In the south, it is neck and neck between Modi and Gandhi," said the survey.
The survey said 40 per cent of the respondents intended to vote for the NDA, while 27 per cent for the UPA. The performance of Manmohan Singh has been specially criticised, and 40 per cent of the respondents blamed him for the slowdown. In the south, 45 per cent of the respondents blamed Finance Minister P Chidambaram for the slowdown.
"The BJP emerges as a clear winner across all zones and genders. Major support is seen gained from the younger lot (18-30 years). The Congress, however, is neck and neck with the BJP in the south."
The survey projected a 36 per cent vote share for the BJP.
The party has found support in the north and among the young and affluent voters. Congress finds the north and elderly voters (51 plus) the 'unhappiest'.
While, 29 per cent of the respondents have found both the Congress and the BJP as being equally responsible for communalisation of politics; 48 per cent find the food security Bill 'a step in the right direction'.
