Thaindian News

New Delhi, June 19 (IANS) As many as 46 percent of people believe that Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi will make a better prime minister than incumbent Manmohan Singh, according to a national survey.

According to a ‘Mood of the Nation’ poll conducted by the news website LensOnNews.com, nearly two-thirds (61 percent) of voters want a change of government in New Delhi.

Only half that number (34 percent) still back the Manmohan Singh-led government to continue in office, it said.

“Rahul Gandhi is clearly preferred over Manmohan Singh for the position of prime minister,” it said.

“As many as 46 percent believe that Rahul Gandhi would make a better prime minister while only 34 percent think Manmohan Singh should continue.”

The LensPoll was carried out among a representative sample of about 3,800 voters across India, in 40 Lok Sabha constituencies in 14 states.

The poll was conducted between June 12 and 16. The findings carry a margin of error of four percent.

The survey, however, said that between Rahul Gandhi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Narendra Modi, 53 percent opted for the chief minister of Gujarat.

The survey said that disenchantment against the Congress-led central government was significantly higher in urban areas, among the college educated and upper castes.

“It is ironical that these are the very same sections that rooted heavily for the Congress in 2009. Under the present regime, the Congress seems to have lost the goodwill of the informed public.”

The choice of Rahul Gandhi as prime minister received a much higher rating among Muslims, women, farmers and labourers — precisely the sections the Congress banks on heavily for votes.

Gandhi, who turned 41 Sunday, was elected to the Lok Sabha from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh in 2009. A section of Congress leaders too has stepped up calls that he should become prime minister.