Opinion poll shows Singh ahead of Sonia as PM material

An opinion poll conducted by NDTV-MODE has found Manmohan Singh emerging as the preferred prime minister...

An opinion poll conducted by NDTV-MODE has found Manmohan Singh emerging as the preferred prime minister, ahead of Congress president and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi. He is also ahead of former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

However, 71 per cent of the respondents said Singh was overshadowed by Gandhi in this government. As many as 61 per cent of the respondents said Sonia was more powerful than Singh, according to a release from NDTV.

The NDTV-MODE poll surveyed 4,000 people —both urban and rural — across 15 states and union territories last week.

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‘‘Manmohan Singh has grown in stature with 53 per cent saying he has become more powerful. He also leads Sonia Gandhi and Atal Behari Vajpayee as the people’s choice for PM,’’ says the release.

On the eve of UPA government’s second anniversary in power, the opinion polls says 80 per cent of respondents believe that the UPA government will complete its full term and, if for any reason there was an election right now, the Congress and its allies would sweep the polls.

The issue of reservation for OBCs could also have helped the image of the government. Sixty-four per cent of the respondents favoured reservation in colleges, and 58 per cent wanted job reservations in private sector companies too.

More than 62 per cent felt this issue had helped the government, although the 58 per cent recognised it as a gimmick to win votes. Thirty-four per cent thought the reservation proposal was the worst decision of the government.