An opinion poll has given the BJP-led NDA a clear edge with 233 seats in the 543-member lower House and the Congress-led UPA just 119 seats, which, however, clearly shows the ruling dispensation having gained some ground.
A similar poll conducted last month by the same agency had predicted the NDA to secure 236 seats and the UPA 92. With the new results, the opinion poll records a three-seat drop in the NDA tally even as it projects a significant rise in UPA’s vote share leading to an increase of 27 seats.
The ABP News-Nielsen survey states that the BJP alone will get a record 209 seats and other parties besides the UPA could notch up 168 seats. The Congress, as per the projections, may be restricted to 91 seats — which is an increase of 18 seats over last month — while the latest entrant the Aam Aadmi Party may win around 4 seats in its maiden foray in the lok Sabha polls.
On the choice of Prime Minister, BJP’s Narendra Modi has emerged the front-runner securing 54 per cent votes. However, there’s a three per cent dip in his popularity since the same poll last month won him 57 per cent support.
Rahul Gandhi remained constant as the second choice as PM with 18 per cent while Arvind Kejriwal is favoured for the top post by only three per cent.
As per the survey, inflation will dominate the elections with 37 per cent feeling price rise to be the major plank of the elections. Corruption, which figured as the major issue last month, has slipped to the second place.
Among regional players who would make a significant dent in national politics, the opinion poll gives Trinamool 28 seats, followed by Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK (21), Mayawati’s BSP (18), and Samajwadi Party (12).
The NDA is projected to get a vote share of 32 per cent followed by UPA at 26 per cent. The biggest gains for the NDA will be in West India. In North and East India, the BJP will emerge as the largest party while in South the Congress emerges as the leader, according to the opinion poll. The survey was conducted in 129 constituencies with 29,453 respondents between March 9 and 16, 2014.