NEW DELHI: Satisfaction with the Central government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA was even lower than the state BJP government in Madhya Pradesh. This is among the most striking findings to have emerged from the exit poll commissioned by ABP News and Lokniti-CSDS on Friday. Fewer people were satisfied with the Modi government at the Centre than the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in the state. Coming just five months ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the trend may worry the BJP which will go to public seeking a second term next year.

Inflation was the biggest issue while voting in the Madhya Pradesh assembly election for one of five voters, followed closely by unemployment. Development, corruption and poverty were also important issues in the state.

In another finding, Shivraj continued to be the most preferred Chief Minister choice with two of five respondents preferred him over others. The Congress leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kamal Nath and Digvijay Singh (all combined) preferred by almost half of the respondents. Also, Jyotiraditya Scindia was most preferred for chief ministerial post among all the Congress leaders.

Scindia seems to have had more impact on Congress voters compared to party state unit chief Kamal Nath. Also, in individual likeability for the leaders, Jyotiraditya Scindia is more preferred over Shivraj.

In an outcome that should ring alarm bells for the BJP, the satisfaction with the state government was also very low as compared to the past assembly election held in 2013.

A quarter of the respondents had made their mind about whom to vote for much before the campaign started, and a little more than one of five made their mind after the candidates were declared by the party.

The exit poll predicted a Congress victory in Madhya Pradesh, which has been a BJP bastion for the last 15 years.  According to the poll, the Congress is set to win 126 seats in the 230 member assembly while the incumbent BJP is likely to secure 94 constituencies. The Congress has emerged as the most preferred party with 43 per cent per cent are likely to have voted for the Congress whereas the incumbent party BJP is likely to have secured 40 per cent of the votes.