Three years into Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's five-year tenure, the leader finds his relation with the people just as vibrant as it was when he took office. Main findings of a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center conducted among 2,464 respondents in India, reveal that nearly nine in ten Indians hold a favourable opinion of the leader. Overwhelming support for Modi is not restricted to just any one area, spanning across the country.
At least nine in ten Indians in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana. Western states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh have a fondness for the PM. More than eight in ten in the eastern states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal, and the northern states of Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh vouch for Modi. Modi, undoubtedly remains by far the most popular national figure in Indian politics tested in the survey. His favourable rating is 31 per cent higher than that of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, and 30 points more than that of Rahul Gandhi.
The survey cites more than eight out of ten believe economic conditions of the country are good, 19 per cent points above since immediately before the 2014 election. Tweeting the findings, BJP chief Amit Shah said Modi's popularity has risen “unabated” across the country and people's satisfaction with the economy is at an “all time high”. In a series of tweets, Shah said, “The findings of Pew Global Research are very significant. After Modi Government came to power, people's trust in Government, Democracy and confidence that the nation is in the right direction has gone up drastically.” Another tweet read, “PM @narendramodi's popularity rises unabated across the length & breadth of the country and across demographic groups. His handling of various issues also receive a thumbs up from people.”
Law Minister Ravi Shankar referred to the survey at a briefing on decisions taken by the Union Cabinet, saying it showed that Modi and his governance has gained popularity in all corners of the country.
