Since the destruction of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992, the Ayodhya dispute has popped in and out of the political agenda. Since the Kumbha Mela Dharma Sansad last year, the VHP has revived the issue but without the endorsement of any political party. This has not prevented a hardening of stands. In an India Today-MARG opinion poll of August 1993, 51 per cent wanted a Ram mandir on the disputed site. This was despite a 53 per cent disapproval of the demolition in a January 1993 poll. Subsequently, a negotiated approach was preferred. Now, ominously, the wheel has turned a full circle.

METHODOLOGY

The Mood of the Nation poll covered 17,522 eligible voters spread across 16 states and 95 Lok Sabha constituencies. The sample was representative of urban and rural areas, men and women, and all age and social groups. Assembly constituencies were sampled on the stratified systemic random sampling method. House-to-house and face-to-face interviews were conducted using the right hand rule of field movement. All analysis has been done as BJP+ allies, Congress+ allies and Others (which includes the Left Front). To maintain continuity, the 1999 alignments were taken. The fieldwork, overseen by ORG-MARG Research Director Vivek Kumar, was done between January 10 and 19.

If Pakistan doesn't cooperate with India's demand to take action against terrorists operating from its soil, India should ...

If India goes to war with Pakistan, its objective should be...

Do you support India joining the US-led war against terrorism?

If there is one factor triggering a growing mood of Hindu militancy, it is terrorism. In the August 2001 Mood of the Nation poll, 47 per cent were deeply sceptical of any peace between India and Pakistan. At the same time, 47 per cent supported Vajpayee's Agra initiative, despite its failure. Now, patience seems to have run out. Islamism seems to have been identified as the enemy and support for the US-led war against terrorism is unequivocal. If there is war against Pakistan, 40 per cent want to go the whole hog. The support for a military solution is higher among men, the young, the better educated and BJP voters. Hawkishness is also more marked in northern and western India, suggesting an underlying Hindu backlash.

Do you support POTO, which is a harsh law to deal with terrorists?

Which party is the best for solving India's problems?

This question tries to identify political affinity, as opposed to voting intentions. The findings indicate that for the first time the BJP has overtaken the Congress in its positioning as a party of government. This suggests a significant shift in what constitutes the political consensus of the day. The agenda seems to have veered sharply to the right. This will have a bearing on official policy. The survey also suggests the BJP has maintained its social profile-an urban tilt with most support among the 18-24 age group, the better educated and the intermediate and upper caste Hindus. The Congress has failed to penetrate the growing middle classes and is confined to the poor and minorities.