ABP News-CSDS Survey: BJP performs poorly in South

Its Karnataka election performance notwithstanding, South India continues to be the region where BJP fares the worst.

BJP protest in Bengaluru/ Image: PTI

New Delhi: In the ‘Desh ka mood’ election survey conducted by Lokniti-CSDS-ABP News to judge the mood of the nation, it was found that of all the regions, BJP put up the worst show in the southern part. Its Karnataka election performance notwithstanding, South India continues to be the region where BJP fares the worst. Though in Karnataka assembly polls BJP emerged as the single largest party, it couldn’t prove majority and thus could not come to power despite trying full force. The party is currently securing only about 18% votes in the five southern states put together. This sharp drop of seven percentage points since January is largely on account of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) having moved out of the NDA over the Special Category Status issue. The survey in fact found the TDP to be doing far better in Andhra Pradesh than it was in January. Other parties in the region such as the TRS (Telangana), DMK (Tamil Nadu), JDS (Karnataka) and the Left (Kerala) have also seen their support levels rise in the last five months.