 | | Our January 2005 Mood of the Nation issue | We have always believed that one of our fundamental duties as a newsmagazine is to track the mood of the nation at regular intervals. Conducting such an exercise on a regular basis gives us an insight into the swings and shifts in popular perception of politics, personalities and social values. The bi-annual India Today AC-Nielsen-ORG-MARG Mood of the Nation poll is comprehensive. The poll has a sample size of 14,351 interviews among eligible voters across 19 states in 98 parliamentary constituencies. The significant sample size gives a true reflection of what the nation is thinking unlike many shoddy polls which are projected as national polls with a sample size of only a few hundred. Also, we have been conducting these six-monthly polls constantly for the last five years and therefore are able to track the shifts in opinions which are taking place. The Manmohan Singh Government was formed in May 2004 and is almost at mid-point in its tenure, a time when governments face their sternest scrutiny from the voting public. In that context, the findings of our latest poll should bring some cheer to his grim face. Normally, by mid-term, a government's popularity starts sliding but our poll shows that the UPA has increased the number of seats from its actual tally and that too totally at the expense of the NDA. Although Sonia Gandhi continues to be seen as more powerful than the prime minister, but as the most suitable candidate for premiership, her approval ratings have dived to match Manmohan Singh's. Surprisingly, Atal Behari Vajpayee regains his lead as the most popular choice for prime minister while his party continues to flounder. Adding to the surprises is the voter's perception of who is the best chief minister. In the last three polls, the choice had been Gujarat's Narendra Modi. This time, it is West Bengal's Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, who is effectively marrying Marx and the market. The Left has further reason to celebrate as the number of people who say they don't hinder reforms has increased and so has support for not selling profitable PSUs. Other significant findings are that terrorism is gaining ground as a major issue of concern. In earlier polls, terrorism was way down on the list. Clearly, the Mumbai train blasts and the impact of heightened security on flights and trains have brought terrorism closer home to a majority of people. Reservations too find significant support. In other areas, Anil Ambani is today's role model for the young among business magnates, Amitabh Bachchan still rules at 60 as India's favourite hero while Aishwarya Rai holds sway as leading lady. If I were to summarise the poll in one phrase, the message from India seems to be: "Don't worry. I am happy, at least for now". Index
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