Bhupesh Baghel has scored big on governance in Chhattisgarh (File)
In Chhattisgarh, where the ruling Congress seeks to retain power, 39 per cent of the electorate surveyed said they want Bupesh Baghel to continue as the Chief Minister. In comparison, 24 per cent want Raman Singh to return to power, according to the NDTV-CSDS Lokniti survey conducted before the state votes in two phases on November 7 and November 17.
In a surprise, only a minuscule 4 per cent want to see TS Singhdeo, reportedly in a power tussle with Mr Baghel, in the top post.
There is some amount of support - 8 per cent - for the former Home Minister of the state and BJP leader, Brijmohan Agarwal, while 7 per cent would want "anyone from the BJP" to be the next Chief Minister.
Of those surveyed, 45 per cent said they are somewhat satisfied with Mr Baghel's performance as the Chief Minister, while 34 per cent said they were fully satisfied.
On governance, Mr Baghel scored big, with 56 per cent, 64 per cent, and 53 per cent saying that the conditions of roads, electricity and drinking water, respectively, have improved under the current government.
Fifty six per cent and 64 per cent also said the conditions of government hospitals and schools have improved under the incumbent Congress government.
Of the 2,541 people surveyed across 25 constituencies between October 24 and October 30, 45 per cent feel the condition of tribals has seen an improvement, while 61 per cent said farmers are better off under Mr Baghel's rule.
For 36 per cent of the surveyed electorate, candidates matter more, while 32 per cent said they would vote for a particular party irrespective of the candidates fielded. Another 15 per cent said their decision will be impacted by the chief ministerial faces fielded by the parties.
Of those surveyed, 37 per cent said the Congress's massive outreach effort led by Rahul Gandhi did not help the party, while 29 per cent said the party will benefit from the over 4,000-km Bharat Jodo Yatra that passed through over a dozen states for almost four months.
The election promises made by the Congress and the BJP are important parameters being considered by voters. The Congress seems to have struck a chord with the electorate with their promised schemes, with a 49 per cent mandate going to the party for its "Half Bijli Bill Yojana", benefits of which were extended to those with an outstanding electricity bill up to six months, upped from the previous two-month cut-off. These consumers will also be eligible for a 50 per cent reduction on consumption of up to 400 units under the scheme if they haven't been able to pay their bills for six months.
Mr Baghel and his government implementing the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for state employees has made 46 per cent of the voters choose the Congress in the survey; 32 per cent said they would vote for the BJP.
The Godhan Nyay Yojana, introduced by the Chhattisgarh government in 2020 to promote organic farming, generate employment possibilities in rural and urban areas, promote cow-rearing and cow-protection, and provide financial benefits to cattle producers, has worked for 53 per cent of the people surveyed.
Forty-nine percent of the beneficiaries of the Kisaan Samman Nifhi Yojana, 47 per cent of the beneficiaries of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, 48 per cent of the beneficiaries of the Ujjwala Yojana and 45 per cent of the beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana said they would vote for the Congress in the upcoming polls. Of these, the Ayushman Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana, and the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana were all brought in by the BJP at the Centre.
The BJP enjoys popularity among the upper castes, with 50 per cent of the surveyed electorate belonging to these castes saying they will vote for the BJP while the number was 24 per cent for the congress. The Congress, on the other hand, enjoys popularity among those surveyed from the Other Backward Classes, Dalits and tribals.
The tribals constitute 32 per cent of the state population and have 29 seats reserved for leaders of the community in the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly.
INFLATION, UNEMPLOYMENT, CORRUPTION
The Congress has failed to impress the electorate when it came to inflation, unemployment, and fighting corruption in the state. 76 per cent said inflation has increased, 40 per cent said unemployment has soared, and 62 per cent said that corruption has gone up.