COVID-19 Crisis Biggest Failure of Modi 2.0: ABP-C Voter Survey

As many as 47.4 percent respondents said that abrogation of Article 370 is the biggest achievement.

Image of India map and PM Modi used for representational purposes.

(Image: Arnica Kala/The Quint)

While the country is still reeling under the deadly second wave of COVID-19 infections, majority of Indians feel that the handling of the disease is the "biggest failure" of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second term, according to the ABP-C Voter Modi 2.0 Report Card.

As per the survey, voters say that abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir is Modi government’s "biggest achievement".

The sample size of the survey was 1.39 lakh with the those spread across 543 Lok Sabha seats. The fieldwork was done between 1 January and 28 May.

The survey shows that on many issues, but voters are disappointed with the Modi government and the high popularity ratings enjoyed by the Modi government in the last seven years are now dissipating.

Highlights of the ABP-C Voter Modi 2.0 Report Card

• 41.1 percent thought handling of the COVID-19 crisis was the biggest failure of Modi 2.0
• 23.1 percent believe the the new farm laws is the second biggest failure
  
• 60 percent feel polls should have been postponed in view of COVID-19’s second wave
  
• 52 percent feel government’s help didn’t reach them during lockdown
  
• 43.9 percent people think the government did not appropriately handle COVID vaccination
  
• 34.5 percent people did not agree with government’s decision to export vaccines
  
• 47.4 percent respondents said that abrogation of Article 370 is the biggest achievement
  
• 68.4 percent said imposing countrywide lockdowns in 2020 was a right decision
• 55 percent say Kumbh festival should have been symbolic amid COVID-19
  

On COVID-19

The biggest failure is handling of the COVID-19 crisis with 41.1 percent respondents saying so.

However, according to the survey, voters supported the government on lockdowns. A massive 68.4 percent said imposing countrywide lockdowns in 2020 was a right decision.

Around 55 percent of people say that this year's Kumbh festival should have been symbolic from the beginning in view of the second wave of COVID-19.

There is support for the Central Vista Project with 41.8 percent respondents backing the Modi government’s decision to start and continue with the project during the pandemic.

Similarly, 53.4 percent said not imposing nationwide lockdowns in 2021 is a right decision of the Modi government.

About 52 percent people felt that the government's help could not reach them during the lockdown announced by the government to handle the second wave of the pandemic

The opinion is divided on the handling of the vaccination programme, though with 44.9 percent saying the government has appropriately handled vaccine management in the country, while 43.9 percent feeling otherwise.

While there may be anger against the government, voters still do not want Congress scion Rahul Gandhi, who has been very critical of government’s handling of the pandemic.

On a question, "Do you think Rahul Gandhi would have handled the Corona crisis in a better manner, if he was Prime Minister of the country? Or you believe that PM Narendra Modi is handling it in the best possible manner?" 63.1 percent said Modi is handling the situation in the best possible manner.

On Internal Policies

As many as 47.4 percent respondents in the survey said that abrogation of Article 370 has been the biggest achievement of Modi 2.0.

Dissatisfaction and anger in the farming community over the new farm laws is the second biggest failure of the Modi government, with 23.1 percent of people voting for it.

As many as 47 percent of the respondents hold the central government responsible for the rise in diesel and petrol prices.

In a criticism of the Modi government, a massive 64.4 percent said that big corporate houses benefitted the most in economic terms from the works of the Modi government.

A total of 44.8 percent said China's encroachment in Ladakh region is a failure on the part of the central government.

(With IANS inputs.)