A pre-poll survey on Thursday has predicted major loss for the Congress in the four poll-bound States not only in the ensuing Assembly elections but also in the lok Sabha polls next year.
Interestingly, it has projected NDA inching towards the 200 seats mark just by the gains in the four States of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan.
This, even as BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has gained as the voters' 'preferred PM' in the States and his ratings have gone up from 26 per cent in July 2013 to 35 percent ending October 2013. In contrast, ratings for Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi as the 'preferred PM' are up merely by two percent from 15 percent in July 2013 to 17 percent in October, according to CNN-IBN - The Week pre-poll survey tracker ending October 2013. There has been no change in incumbent PM Manmohan Singh's 5 percent approval ratings between July and Octover 2013
The survey conducted by CSDS has projected NDA's tally to rise between 187 and 195 lok Sabha seats owing to gains in the four states whereas UPA's tally has been projected to slip to between 134 & 142 lok Sabha seats by losses in these states.
The poll tracker has projected BJP may trounce Congress in four direct contest states even in the lok Sabha polls. While Congress is projected to lose 28 of 40 lS seats it won in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi in 2009; BJP is projected to add 27 lS seats to 30 it won in MP, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan & Delhi in 2009. It has projected BJP may win 57 of 72 lS seats in the four States while the Congress may win only 12 of them.
In a direct contest, Modi leads Rahul as preferred PM - 45% back the Gujarat CM against 29% for the Congress VP. 39% respondents in the four poll-bound states also say Congress should declare Rahul as PM candidate while 36% respondents say they have no opinion on Rahul as PM candidate.
According to the survey, Modi's image among people is mostly that of a leader who takes strong decisions and who will develop the country. 26% respondents of the pre-poll survey felt Modi is a leader who takes good and strong decisions and 21% expressed that he is capable of developing the country. Only 3% respondent felt Modi is not suitable for leading a coalition Govt.