A silent majority prefers better performance to communal frenzy: survey
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New Delhi: While taking stock of the Modi government, the respondents to a survey chose better performing ministers over high-profile ministers.
Thus, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the Minister for Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari were rated as the best performers.
The nationwide survey for IANS conducted by CVoter in the month of May had respondents from all age groups, all educational, economic backgrounds and ethnic identities rating the Modi administration.
Interestingly, many high-profile ministers who regularly grab media headlines were overlooked.
Both Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari were rated greatly across political divides, shows the survey.
Both the NDA and the Opposition supporters were in agreement over their performance.
On a scale of 1 to 10, NDA supporters gave 8.36 to Rajnath Singh and 8.07 to Nitin Gadkari. The Opposition supporters gave 7.03 to Rajnath Singh and 6.81 to Nitin Gadkari.
Rajnath Singh is a tough, no-nonsense leader from the old BJP culture. He is firm and uncompromising on national interests without resorting to divisive rhetoric.
His high ratings among land owning farmers and Sikhs made him an exception among his colleagues during the farmers' protest.
He was the only minister whom the protesters were willing to talk to and discuss their issues with.
He has shown maturity and grace in handling the tense situation on the borders with China in Ladakh when violent clashes in June 2020 claimed the lives of 20 Indian army personnel, besides killing unaccounted Chinese soldiers.
Under his watch, the 'Make in India' programme for defence equipment has grown rapidly with the participation of private players.
Meanwhile, Gadkari has a reputation for singularly building up more and more world-class highways and roads in India at a record pace.
He has surpassed the records set by the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee regime when highway construction first became a priority area.
His ratings also have a unique positioning from the point of view of education and income profile. As the education level went up among the respondents, the approval ratings of Gadkari upped.
He was rated even above Rajnath Singh by the electorally critical middle class and graduate respondents.
Across the socio-economic divide, Gadkari is among the top three ministers, and runner-up behind Rajnath Singh in most demographic categories.
The unusually high ratings given by the common man to these two ministers goes against the media and social media narrative of polarisation based politics in India, as the USP of these two can hardly be associated with polarised campaigning.
Against the communal frenzy, a huge majority of silent Indians appreciate the sober, non-confrontationist and inclusive personalities who can define delivery of governance in a no-nonsense way.
Source: IANS