Public Opinion: Joblessness, Poverty Biggest Factors For Voters In Karnataka

Unemployment is the single most important factor for voters in Karnataka, followed by poverty, and a majority believe corruption has increased in the past five years. These are key findings of "Public Opinion", a unique NDTV survey in collaboration with Lokniti-Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), which tries to decode the public mood in Karnataka in the run-up to the May 10 election.

The NDTV-CSDS pre-poll study was conducted between April 20 and 28, weeks ahead of the Karnataka verdict on May 13.

The study reveals 28 per cent of those surveyed believe joblessness is Karnataka's biggest issue in this election. Poverty is a close second, with 25 per cent calling it the main worry.

While unemployment is a bigger problem for younger voters, poverty is the big issue for voters in rural Karnataka.

As many as 67 per cent of the respondents say prices have shot up in their areas in the past five years.

More than half (51%) of those surveyed believe corruption has increased while 35% say it has remained the same. Notably, many traditional BJP supporters (41%) say corruption has surged since the last polls in 2019.

The NDTV Karnataka poll also asks respondents to rate the state government's decision in March to raise quota for Lingayats and Vokkaligas, scrap the 4 per cent Other Backward Class quota for Muslims, and raise the quota for Scheduled Castes and Tribes.

Only a third of those surveyed are aware of the new reservation decisions, the poll finds.

Supporters of the new quota policy are mostly those who favour the BJP, while those who oppose it are Congress supporters, according to the survey.

On the controversy related to the death of Tipu Sultan, the survey finds that one in three respondents is aware of the subject and 74% feel raising the controversy ratcheted up communal tension. The row involves politically loaded claims that Tipu Sultan was killed by two Vokkaliga chieftains, which have been backed by some BJP leaders.

Among those aware of the controversy, 29% feel raising the issue is justified. The poll reveals that it is mainly BJP supporters who justify raising the Tipu controversy, while more among those who oppose it lean towards the Congress.

Another key factor assessed in the NDTV-CSDS opinion poll is "regional discrimination". Most people (41%) believe that North Karnataka is discriminated against. Also, 66% of respondents believe Bengaluru has been given more importance than other regions.

Voters were also asked to assess the work of the ruling BJP in Karnataka and at the Centre.

More people than not see an improvement in roads, electricity supply and drinking water. Government hospitals and schools, however, have shown no improvement, most voters say.

On the overall performance of the state and central governments, 27% say they are "fully satisfied" with the BJP government in Karnataka, and 24% give a similar thumbs up to the BJP-led government at the Centre. There are more people in the "somewhat satisfied" range - 36% for the BJP government in Karnataka and 42% for the party's government at the Centre.

Welfare schemes have had a big impact on voters and beneficiaries of both central and state schemes tend to favour the BJP, reveals the opinion poll.

A total of 2,143 voters spread across 82 polling stations in randomly selected 21 assembly constituencies were interviewed for the survey.

The assembly constituencies were randomly selected using the "probability proportional to size" sampling in which the probability of selecting a unit is proportional to its size. The sample size, though small, is believed to correctly reflect the voters' mood.