Singh's Government Losing Popularity on Corruption Allegations, Poll Shows
By Bibhudatta Pradhan - Jan 7, 2011 Claims of corruption have cut support for Indias Congress party-led government and tarnished the image of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, an opinion poll conducted by the India Today magazine said.
If an election were held now, the ruling coalition may win about 42 seats fewer than the 259 it garnered in April and May, 2009, according to the Mood of the Nation Poll conducted by the magazine and AC Nielsen. Congress, which currently has 206 members in the lower house of parliament, would be stripped of about 40 seats.
Singhs government is fending off calls from the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party for a cross-party probe into an auditors report that said the award of mobile-phone licenses in 2008 at below-market prices may have cost the state $31 billion. The row led to the resignation of the minister concerned and stalled parliaments winter session in November and December.
The popularity of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi has fallen, India Today reported in its latest issue, citing the poll results. In a list of ideal candidates for the post of prime minister, Sonia ranks fifth with just 8 percent of votes, down from 13 percent in August; Rahul leads the pack with 20 percent, from 29 percent. Around 50 percent of respondents feel he is ready to run the country, which the magazine calls his destined role.
The survey found that 43 percent of people who took part said Sonia Gandhis image had been affected by allegations of graft surrounding the government.
While the BJP-led opposition alliance may be cheered by findings that it would add 20 seats to the 159 it won last year if Indians were asked to vote again, the magazine says the partys current leaders trail their Congress counterparts when people were asked who is best suited to lead the country. The magazine said that 73 percent of respondents didnt know the name of the opposition leader and Congress remains the preferred party of governance.
The survey was conducted across 19 states from Dec. 4-19 and 12,349 voters took part in 98 of Indias parliamentary constituencies. No margin of error was given.
Singh's Government Losing Popularity on Corruption Allegations, Poll Shows - Bloomberg
By Bibhudatta Pradhan - Jan 7, 2011 Claims of corruption have cut support for Indias Congress party-led government and tarnished the image of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, an opinion poll conducted by the India Today magazine said.
If an election were held now, the ruling coalition may win about 42 seats fewer than the 259 it garnered in April and May, 2009, according to the Mood of the Nation Poll conducted by the magazine and AC Nielsen. Congress, which currently has 206 members in the lower house of parliament, would be stripped of about 40 seats.
Singhs government is fending off calls from the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party for a cross-party probe into an auditors report that said the award of mobile-phone licenses in 2008 at below-market prices may have cost the state $31 billion. The row led to the resignation of the minister concerned and stalled parliaments winter session in November and December.
The popularity of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi has fallen, India Today reported in its latest issue, citing the poll results. In a list of ideal candidates for the post of prime minister, Sonia ranks fifth with just 8 percent of votes, down from 13 percent in August; Rahul leads the pack with 20 percent, from 29 percent. Around 50 percent of respondents feel he is ready to run the country, which the magazine calls his destined role.
The survey found that 43 percent of people who took part said Sonia Gandhis image had been affected by allegations of graft surrounding the government.
While the BJP-led opposition alliance may be cheered by findings that it would add 20 seats to the 159 it won last year if Indians were asked to vote again, the magazine says the partys current leaders trail their Congress counterparts when people were asked who is best suited to lead the country. The magazine said that 73 percent of respondents didnt know the name of the opposition leader and Congress remains the preferred party of governance.
The survey was conducted across 19 states from Dec. 4-19 and 12,349 voters took part in 98 of Indias parliamentary constituencies. No margin of error was given.
Singh's Government Losing Popularity on Corruption Allegations, Poll Shows - Bloomberg
