Amid speculation about snap polls due to the stand-off between the Congress and Left Parties over the nuclear deal with the United States, a majority of Indians -- 63 per cent -- Indians are opposed to mid-term elections.
In urban areas, 61 per cent people opposed mid-term polls, while 68 per cent in rural areas are against it, according to an opinion poll by Outlook magazine. However, 70 per cent people in the country feel that India should not follow the United States in matters of foreign policy.
Fifty-two per cent people back the Indo-US nuclear deal, 21 per cent are against it and 27 per cent are unaware of the agreement. Interestingly, in villages, a whopping 60 per cent people do not know about the civilian nuclear deal at all. Only 25 per cent of the people support it. Thirty-four per cent people feel the deal should not be operationalised without addressing objections raised by the Left parties.
While 41 per cent blame Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Prakash Karat for the crisis arising out of the nuclear deal, 35 per cent feel Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was responsible for it.
Forty-four per cent of the population has supported Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's strong stand against the Left parties, while 33 per cent have opposed it. The Prime Minister's ability to tide over the crisis has more takers in urban areas. While 63 per cent in cities feel he can handle the difficult situation, in villages it is 48 per cent.
A majority of people surveyed feel that the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal cannot be an electoral plank and 31 per cent think it can become a poll issue. In villages a whopping 73 per cent people feel the deal cannot become an election issue, while in cities only 56 per cent think that it can.