PM Modi's popularity reduced by 40% in a year: India Today survey

Narendra Modi's popularity as the next choice as India's Prime Minister has fallen significanty in the past six months, shows the 'Mood of the Nation' survey conducted by India Today.

The survey is an indicator of the populace's discontent over the management of the devastating second wave of COVID-19, among other issues.

In comparison, 38 percent of the respondents had displayed an inclination towards his candidacy in January, and 66 percent had affirmed the same in the survey conducted in 2020.

Meanwhile Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been ranked as the second most popular contender for the prime minister's post with 11% of respondents have mentioned him as first choice for the post. At third, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is first choice for prime minister for 10%. Both Adityanath and Gandhi have seen a rise in popularity – the former from 3% last year and the latter from 8%.

Gandhi is followed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose popularity stood at 8 percent.

Amit Shah, on the other hand, was voted as most suitable to replace Modi as BJP's prime ministerial candidate, in the MOTN survey.

Almost 49% of the respondents rated Modi's handling of the COVID-19 situation as outstanding / good. This is a sharp drop from 73% in January 2019.

Most responders have shared that they will vote for BJP, but the share has reduced since January 2021. 24% feel Union Home Minister Amit Shah is the best person to succeed Prime Minister Modi, followed by 19% who prefer Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. 29% feel that Amit Shah is the best performing minister in the Modi government.

Meanwhile, 60% respondents feel the government has not done enough to control inflation compared to 35% in January 2021.

Seventy-one percent of those surveyed believe that COVID-19 killed more people in India than the data submitted by the government.

Both the state and the central governments were to blame for the second wave, 44 percent pollees said.

Large gatherings at Kumbh Mela, election rallies, and Ramzan, were ranked as the top factor that fuelled the second wave.

Forty-seven percent respondents rated the Centre's handling of the economy as 'Good' or 'Outstanding' — the lowest such percentage since 2016. Thirty-nine percent of the sample said that the economic policies under the Modi-led government have benefitted only big businesses.

Moreover, 60 percent pollees feel that the government has not done enough to control inflation. Forty-three percent opined that the economy will remain the same in the coming six months. While 34 percent of the voters opine that the state of communal harmony has improved under the NDA government, the same percentage believe that it has deteriorated.