The political landscape of India has shifted following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The ruling party, the BJP, lost its clear majority in the Lok Sabha, reflecting a decline in the influence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to a recent survey, over half of the voters in India have expressed a lack of confidence in Modi's leadership—a first during his time as Prime Minister. On the other hand, the survey highlighted a significant rise in the popularity of Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition.
The Mood of the Nation (MOTN) poll, conducted after the general election results on June 4, provides insights into the changing sentiments among voters. While the BJP still leads the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), it has been reduced to a minority in the Lok Sabha. The survey suggests that support for Modi has fallen by about 7.5%, whereas support for Rahul Gandhi has surged by nearly 11%.
BJP’s overall backing has also taken a hit. According to the survey, if elections were held today, the party's vote share could drop from 38% to 36.6%. In terms of seats, BJP is projected to win 244 seats, while Congress is estimated to secure 106 seats.
A significant number of respondents in the poll were also concerned about the role of central agencies during Modi’s tenure. When asked if agencies like the CBI, ED, and the Income Tax Department were being used for political purposes, 46% of respondents agreed, while 38% believed that such misuse has occurred in previous governments as well.
The survey, which interviewed 136,463 people through a Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI), included over 40,000 respondents interviewed between mid-July and early August 2024. Additionally, 95,872 individuals were surveyed over the last 24 weeks.
The question of who should be the next Prime Minister revealed a notable dip in Modi's approval ratings, which dropped below 50% for the first time, landing at 49%. Rahul Gandhi's ratings climbed to 22%, bringing him closer to Modi than ever before. The percentage of respondents who rated Modi as "outstanding" fell by 7.3% compared to the previous survey.
The survey also found that unemployment remains a pressing issue, with many viewing it as one of the most significant failures of the current government. Additionally, the MOTN polls from earlier in the year revealed that 52% of those surveyed believed that the economic policies in place favored big businesses. That figure has now increased to 58%, indicating growing discontent.
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