Will it affect party image? If yes, whose ?
Yes : 83%
Congress : 63%
BJP : 26%
Janata Dal : 2%
Others : 2%
Can't say : 7%
Will this strengthen Rao's position in the party ?
Yes : 32%
No : 58%
Can't say : 10%
Is it believable that Rao engineered the chargesheets ?
Believeable : 43%
Not believable : 44%
Can't Say : 13%
In general, are all politicians corrupt?
All are corrupt : 45%
Some are corrupt : 51%
None is : 4%
If Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao believes that by allowing the Central Bureau ofInvestigation (CBI) to file chargesheets against top politicians belonging to theOpposition as well as his own party he has strengthened his position, there is some badnews for him. An Outlook-Mode opinion poll conducted in five metropolitancities—Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay, Madras and Bangalore—indicates that the C o n gress could lose more than any other party on account of the hawala revelations .
Sixty - three per cent of the 547 respondents in the five cities feel that the image ofthe ruling party will take a beating because of the developments related to the Jaindiaries case. In comparison, only 26 per cent believe that the image of the BharatiyaJanata Party, the Congress’ main adversary in the coming general elections, willsuffer. More significantly, 83 per cent of those polled indicate that the confidence ofthe people in the polity itself will be further shaken because of these developments. Thiscynicism is further underlined by the fact that nearly three-fourths (72 per cent) believethat the charges against the politicians are true. Twenty - three per cent are unsure anda negligible 5 per cent firmly believe that the charges are without basis.
Most media analysts have commented on "Rao’s master move" and havesuggested that by hitting out at his detractors and potential rivals, he has strengthenedhis own position in the Congress. The people think otherwise. A substantial 58 per cent ofthe respondents are firm in their belief that the Prime Minister’s position will notimprove, the chargesheets notwithstanding .
The one question the respondents are divided on is whether Rao engineered thechargesheeting of the politicians. The verdict: 43 per cent, yes; 44 per cent, no.
