Delhi polls: Shrinking gap between AAP and BJP, tough fight likely

New Delhi, Feb. 3 (IANS): Latest data from the IANS-CVoter Delhi Tracker poll survey shows that the BJP has steadily whittled down the ruling AAP's formidable lead - from 53.2 on January 6 to 45.1 per cent on February 3. With barely a week left for the Delhi polls and the AAP enjoying only 8 per cent lead over the BJP, the Assembly elections look set for a tough fight.

With every passing week, the BJP appears to be getting back into the good books of more and more Delhi voters. According to data obtained from Delhi Tracker, the BJP's voter approval ratings, on February 3, have touched 37 per cent - a gain of 5.8 per cent since January 27. In contrast, the ruling Aam Admi Party's share of voter approval slipped to 45.1 per cent on February 3 - a drop of 5.5 per cent since January 27.

The findings are based on responses to the question, "Whom will you vote for if assembly elections are held today?"

Incidentally, the Congress, relegated to the third position, has been steadily losing out in the vote share. From 5.3 per cent voter approval on January 27, its share fell to 3.7 per cent on February 3.

The percentage of undecided voters has risen from 11.3 per cent on January 27, to 12.1 per cent on February 3, a trend that many attributes to public sentiment over anti-CAA protests at Shaheen Bagh and other places in Delhi.

The survey findings on February 3 are based on responses compiled from 2,899 respondents in urban, rural and semi-urban locations of Delhi.

The latest survey findings yet again indicate the steady growth in the BJP's voter approval over the last four weeks for the coming Delhi polls.

According to the data on the Delhi polls for the week beginning January 27, the BJP had secured 31.2 per cent of voter approval as compared to 29.2 per cent on January 20. Over the same period, the ruling Aam Admi Party has secured 50.6 per cent and 53.8 per cent respectively, showing a 3.2 per cent decline in popularity. The survey sample size on January 27 comprised of 2,322 Delhi voters.

Going further back, to January 16, only 26.3 per cent of Delhi voters had favoured the BJP, when queried as to who they would vote for if Assembly elections were to be held on the same day. On the same day, 55.4 per cent voters had swung towards the AAP.

The BJP has been making steady gains on the Tracker survey over the last four weeks after Assembly elections were announced on January 6. On that day, the survey had given the AAP a formidable position with 53.3 per cent of votes and a seat tally of close to 59 seats, while the BJP was estimated to win 25.9 per cent of votes and just eight seats.