The Time Group held an online poll among 2 lakh voters across the country. It revealed that 83 per cent respondents thought the BJP-led NDA alliance will come back to power in 2019 election. Also, 84 per cent participants wanted Narendra Modi to become PM again. Rahul Gandhi got just 8.33 per cent. He was followed by Mamata Banerjee with 1.44 per cent and Mayawati with 0.43 per cent.

The main question asked in the poll was whom would the respondents prefer if the general election is held right now. When what is the biggest failure of Modi regime, 35.72 respondents said it was the BJP government’s failure to complete the Ram Mandir construction in Ayodhya. Nearly 29.5 per cent felt that the Modi government failed in creating employment opportunities as promised at the time of 2014 elections.

To another question, about 63.03 per cent participants felt that the popularity of Rahul Gandhi had not improved in the past five years. About 59.61 per cent participants said the Modi rule was very good in the past five years while 22.29 per cent commented on it as good. About 8.25 per cent respondents said it was not bad and 9.9 per cent said it was not good.

Today’s PM Modi’s AP tour has raised much political heat. All other parties seized the opportunity to attack the BJP and score some political points on the demands for special status and other promises. Modi will address a public meeting at Guntur. Rivals gave out ‘Modi Go Back’ slogan and put up flexis everywhere.

The TDP, the Congress and the Left parties are observing it as a black day in the history of unjustly separated AP. The YCP and Jana Sena party are the only ones not using the occasion for their political advantage. While CM Naidu demanded BJP explanation on special status, Congress AP President Raghuveera Reddy took objection to the BJP’s indifference to the needs of AP state in its worst crisis.

PM public meeting is scheduled to be held at Etukur village near Guntur where the followers of BJP President Kanna Laxminarayana are present in large numbers. Actually, they are sympathisers of Pawan Kalyan party. Along caste lines, they support Kanna as well. Extra security measures are being taken for Modi tour because of prevailing mood among the AP special status protesters.

Election surveys are one by one predicting a very difficult phase for PM Modi right now. C Voter survey on prevailing electoral climate across the country showed most tough election for Modi in his bid for PM post for a second consecutive time. The BJP and its allies will fall far below the simple majority. Moreover, the survey says Modi will not get enough majority to form the government even if there is support from KCR, Jaganmohan Reddy and Navin Patnaik.

Interestingly, the C Voter survey has also said the situation of the UPA allies is not improving either. The Congress and its allies will not reach the magic figure even after including the support of the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party. In all likelihood, it is going to be a hung Parliament where it is even difficult for either NDA or UPA to mobilise enough numbers to form the government.

The latest political situation has thrown up bigger challenges in front the nation. The C voter survey is giving just 233 MP seats to NDA and 167 to UPA. Other parties will get 143. This time, the BJP and its allies will get just 25 seats in Uttar Pradesh, the country’s largest and politically trendsetting state. The national surveys picked up speed after the rival parties formed clear alliances. The UP developments threw up unexpected challenges before NDA and UPA now.

The Modi government at the Centre is busy making strategies to bring in novel programmes and win over new vote banks ahead of the coming general election. By talking about 10 per cent reservation for economically poorer sections in upper castes, Modi has targetted the middle class and lower middle class sections. He is also setting sights on the caste vote banks. Towards this, categorisation of OBCs is being actively considered.

As per reports, the Election Commission of India is expected to announce election notification in March first week. There are just a few weeks left for the Modi government to come out with new programmes. It is actively considering Rythu Bandhu programme which will be aimed at paying compensation to farmers for crop failures. This is being pursued by political parties for money transfers directly to beneficiaries.

PM Modi is giving special attention to financial assistance to farmers at the rate of Rs. 15,000 per hectare. This is because majority of farmers across the country own land holdings around one hectare. The BJP is aiming at splitting regional parties as well in order to divide their vote banks.

The BJP leaders have finalised the venue for the prestigious public meeting to be addressed by PM Modi in AP on January 6. The venue is Bible Mission Grounds opposite the Acharya Nagarjuna University near Mangalagiri in Guntur district. BJP National President Amit Shah has taken this decision in consultation with the state leaders.

The venue is finalised as BJP State President Kanna Laxminarayana has taken it as a personal challenge to make Modi’s meet a grand success in his home district of Guntur. Nearly 5 lakh people are being mobilised from all over the state for the Modi meet. This is the first of the two meetings Modi is to address in AP in the next two to three months to explain to the people the steps taken by Centre for welfare of AP people.

Considering the differences between BJP and TDP, Modi is going to use the public meeting as a platform to counter the Chandrababu Naidu criticism on injustice done to AP in the reorganization promises. Naidu has stepped up pressure on the BJP on the issue of special status and funds to Polavaram project and also the Amaravati capital city project.

Modi’s meeting will raise political temperature in AP as TDP leaders are making unsparing criticism of the BJP government and supporting the Congress party.