How popular are Modi, Rahul, Kejriwal? Latest survey results...

PM Modi has completed two years in office but is he still popular?

New Delhi: While the 'NaMo wave' that propelled Narendra Modi to 7, Race Course Road is still going strong, Congress is also slowly regaining lost ground, a new survey has found.

Key highlights of a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center:

Narendra Modi

• 81% Indians have a favourable view of PM Modi, including 57% who have a very favourable opinion
• 87% of Indians had responded favourable to Modi in 2015.
• PM Modi is popular across demographic groups. 
• 65% are satisfied with the way things are going in their country with 80% believing that economy is doing well. Only 55% had the same views in 2014.
• Even 24% of Congress backers have a very positive opinion about Modi.
• Support for Modi is spread across rural and urban areas of the country.
• Interestingly, Modi's overall public support is higher than people’s opinions of his specific character attributes. 
• 56% of the respondents believe Modi is “someone who cares about people like me.”
• 51% believes that the Prime Minister is someone who stands up for what he believes - 28% disagree
• Only 51% of Indians view PM Modi as someone who is able to get things done - 33% says he cannot accomplish things. 
• 49% of Indians say Modi brings people together, while 29% believe he is divisive.
• 62% Indians approve of Modi government's efforts to tackle unemployment, the same percentage of people also approve of his efforts to help the poor.
• A total of 61% Indians are satisfied with Modi’s handling of terrorism and 59% believe that he has worked to tackle corruption.
• 68% Indians feel India plays a more important role in the world today compared with 10 years ago. However, only 22% approve Modi's approach towards Pakistan.
• In line with Modi's ratings, BJP's popularity is also down from 87% in 2015 to 80% in 2016. The party's bastions like Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra have seen a dip in favourable ratings.

Rahul Gandhi

• The popularity ratings of Rahul Gandhi has seen some improvement from the lows of 2014. 
• 63% of Indian see him in a favourable light, unchanged from last year but up from 50% in 2013. 
• 85% of Congress party supporters view their leader positively, 52% of those backing BJP also hold a similar view about Rahul Gandhi.
• Sonia Gandhi is also viewed favorably by 65% of Indians. The figure was 58% in 2015 and 49% in 2013.
• The Congress' favourable ratings have also seen a marginal jump from 61% recorded in 2015.

Arvind Kejriwal

• Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is viewed favorably by 50% of Indians, down from 60% in 2015. 
• The Aam Aadmi Party's approval ratings are also down and its favourability is declining. 
• Only 47% of respondents have voiced a positive assessment of the AAP, down from 58% in 2015. 
• The highest rating that AAP has managed is in Delhi at 57%.

The survey was conducted in May and the results were declared yesterday.