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New Delhi: The latest edition of the India Today ‘Mood of the Nation’ survey has revealed that if elections were held today, the BJP-led NDA government would lose more than 50 seats from its May 2019 tally, excluding those of its former ally Shiv Sena.

The BJP, which won a clear majority on its own with 303 seats, would be reduced to 271, one less than the majority mark. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance would get 108 seats, 15 more than it actually won.

However, the survey also says Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains the most popular leader in the country. About 68 per cent of respondents said his performance has been ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’, but that is still three percentage points lower than the previous edition of the India Today ‘Mood of the Nation’ survey, that report of which came out in August 2019.

About 53 per cent of respondents said Modi is the right person to lead the country, while Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra polled 13 per cent, 7 per cent and 3 per cent of the survey votes, respectively.

As many as 12,141 interviews, in a standard-structured questionnaire format, were conducted by Karvy Insights Limited as part of the ‘Mood of the Nation’ survey. The interviews were spread out over 19 states, across 97 parliamentary constituencies and 194 assembly constituencies, with the questionnaire translated into regional languages. The fieldwork for the poll was done from 21 December to 31 December 2019.

Also read: The Economist calls out Modi’s ‘Intolerant India’ & Kejriwal says Times Now scared of govt

Yogi best CM, and Amit Shah best Union minister

The ‘Mood of the Nation’ survey also stated that Home Minister Amit Shah was the best performing minister in the Modi government. After being made the home minister in July, Shah has been at the helm for some major legislative changes, such as the scrapping of Article 370, amendments to the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, criminalisation of triple talaq, and the amendments to Citizenship Act.

The survey has also declared Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as the best-performing CM in the country for the second time in a row. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee are tied for second, while Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is placed third.

Also read: Why 100 UP BJP MLAs are upset with Yogi, and questioning his ‘zero-tolerance’ on corruption

Issues on people’s minds

The January round of the survey revealed that 60 per cent people have a negative outlook towards the Indian economy, with unemployment being the biggest concern. While the survey shows that many believe the Modi government’s handling of the economy has hampered the BJP’s image, they still place their trust in the PM.

On the security front, 58 per cent of the respondents believe the scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and reorganisation of the state will provide a permanent solution to the Kashmir conflict.

A majority of the respondents also think the Supreme Court’s Ayodhya judgment — to award the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site to Ram Lalla and give Muslims five acres elsewhere to construct a mosque — was fair and in favour of both parties.

Also read: Indian economy could recover to 6.6% next fiscal, new UN report predicts

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