A recent pre-poll survey conducted by Lokniti-Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) sheds light on the Indian voters’ perceptions of the current government’s actions and intentions.
According to the survey, eight out of ten Indians, or 79 percent of the population, feel that “citizens of all religions equally, not just Hindus” own the nation. Some pages of the survey were published on April 11.
Survey Results
Pre-poll polling by CSDS-Lokniti in April 2024 provides insight into Indian voters’ opinions on a range of topics, such as preparations for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), hosting the G-20 Summit, and the repeal of Article 370.
According to the poll, one in three respondents (34%) think that Article 370 should be repealed, while one in six people (16%) agree with the decision but disagree with the process. Still, 8 percent of voters continue to oppose the repeal of Article 370, and 22 percent chose not to voice their opinion, suggesting that some voters may not be aware of important political problems.
The survey further reveals, that two out of 10 voters (19%) express fear that the UCC would violate religious traditions, while nearly three out of 10 voters (29%) believe that the UCC will empower women and bring them greater equality and justice.
Religious groups hold different views regarding the implementation of the UCC. For example, a greater percentage of Hindu voters (31%) think that the UCC would empower women, but Muslim voters (29%) harbour a deep-seated scepticism.
Voter satisfaction and re-election
The survey reveals that a majority of respondents were willing to ‘give another chance’ to the Modi government, which is an important achievement for a government seeking a third term. However, this willingness to re-elect is somewhat constrained by the fact that there is an equally substantial proportion of the respondents who are not willing to concede another chance to this government.
Reasons for re-election
The majority of respondents who are in favour of the Modi government being re-elected cite Modi’s leadership, welfare programmes, and the goodwill factor as their reasons.
Those who oppose the return of this government, on the other hand, give precise and tangible arguments, with two out of every three respondents mentioning the state of the economy and economic policies.
The results of the CSDS-Lokniti pre-poll survey show that there are significant differences among Indian voters on a number of subjects, such as the abrogation of Article 370, hosting the G-20 Summit, and forming a UCC.
The poll also reveals that voters’ displeasure is being fueled by problems with their means of subsistence, unemployment, and inflation, which may have an effect on their decision to vote.
According to the survey results, Indian voters are divided on various issues and have been prompted to question the acts and intentions of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) administration.
Indian democracy will be put to the test in the impending elections of 2024, which will also indicate if the majority of voters in the country will stick with the BJP-led NDA administration or choose to see a change
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