In a survey conducted by CVOTER and ABP News, Congress emerges out as the winner of the three upcoming Assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh to be held later this year.
Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) is the current ruling government in all the three states. The elections in these three states are viewed as rehearsals before the main event i.e. 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Though BJP is found to be ceding power in the three states, for the Lok Sabha elections, the survey says, Narendra Modi is clearly the choice again.
Rajasthan
For Rajasthan, the survey concludes that the Congress party which faced a major loss in the 2013 Assembly polls, is likely to come back sweeping 130 seats out of total 200. This means Congress will gain 51 percent votes. In 2013 state elections, Congress performed its worst in the state and could only muster 21 seats.
Incumbent BJP will be reduced to 57 seats in the upcoming polls as opposed to 163 seats out of total 200 it bagged in 2013 Assembly polls. The Others will have to contend with 13 seats.
According to the survey, Congress will gain major votes from the Mewar and Harouti regions of the state; Mewar bestowing 57 percent votes on the Congress.
For the CM face, Congress AICC General Secretary and Rajasthan former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is the popular choice. Gehlot is favored by 40.6 percent population as compared to incumbent CM and BJP veteran Vasundhara Raje got the votes of only 24.1 percent people.
Congress will likely be facing a battle for the CM candidate as there are two camps within the party– one for Ashok Gehlot and the others in favour of Rajasthan Congress President Sachin Pilot. According to the C-Voter–ABP survey, Gehlot is the more favourable choice among the two, who gets the support of 41 percent people, while Sachin Pilot is liked by a mere 18 per cent.
Although the people seem to be choosing Congress over the BJP for Assembly polls, the results are different for the Lok Sabha elections. BJP bagged the confidence of 47.4 per cent people for the Lok Sabha polls. The poll makes it clear that through Congress will lead by 14 per cent votes in state assembly elections, BJP’s powerhouse Narendra Modi is the clear first choice with 55 per cent votes for the Prime Minister in 2019. Congress President Rahul Gandhi is favoured by only 22 per cent population for the PM post.