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A CVoter survey conducted in Delhi in the first two weeks of February polls 57 percent of the respondents as giving a thumbs up to the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government, which has been in power in the state for the last four years.
When polled in February, 46 percent of the respondents felt that the AAP would win if the Delhi elections were held then, with the BJP backed by 34 percent of those surveyed. The Congress polled under 10 percent.
The following are the key insights from the comprehensive CVoter survey on the political mood of Delhi.
The survey indicates that there is low awareness about some of the AAP government’s schemes, an issue that would be a cause of concern for the party.
For example, 30.3 percent of the respondents said they had never heard of the government initiative to provide doorstep delivery of 40 public services, and 54.5 percent of those polled were unaware of the common mobility card introduced by the Delhi government for travel in buses and the metro. In contrast though, the mohalla clinics initiative was most widely known, with only 5.3 percent of the respondents saying they weren’t aware about it.
Here are some takeaways from the survey and what these numbers mean for the upcoming general election, and for Delhi’s seven Lok Sabha seats.
First up, an important reminder: The survey way conducted in the first two weeks of February, before the Pulwama attack and the subsequent escalation of India-Pakistan tensions. The Modi government’s actions during the crisis may or may not change voter sentiment significantly, but that is a variable that has not been surveyed yet.
Secondly, this CVoter survey did not ask the respondents for their vote preference in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The survey was limited to measuring popular perception on the Delhi government’s performance and its various schemes. Here’s why this point is important.
However, the CVoter survey does suggest that a high proportion of voters are pleased with the AAP government’s work in Delhi over the past four years – and given the high numbers of Congress voters echoing that sentiment, it will continue an all-important debate in the capital’s political circles.
If Congress voters are pleased with the AAP government’s performance, it would raise hopes that votes from Congress supporters could be easily transferred to the AAP, and a prospective alliance between the two parties could reap electoral gains. So, will the Congress budge from its “no alliance” position and seek out a pre-poll tie-up again?
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