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WHAT'S THE DEAL? Different age groups showed a different attitude towards the nuclear deal.

                  

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Rajdeep Sardesai

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Keywords: Congress, BJP, Left, Upa

New Delhi: As the Manmohan Singh government faces a battle for survival in Parliament, Network18-CSDS went to the people across urban India to get a sense of where they stand on the issue of Indo-US nuclear deal.

In CNN-IBN’s Weekend Edition, Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai analyses an exclusive opinion poll on the mood of the nation along with Congress MP Sachin Pilot, BJP MP Manvendra Singh, Head-Economic Cell of CPI-M Prasenjit Bose, National Conference President and MP Omar Abdullah, and CSDS’ Political Analyst Yogendra Yadav.

The Network18-CSDS poll is an all-urban survey and has been conducted in 96 locations spread across 12 cities of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. It has a sample size is 1,520.

The fieldwork for the survey was conducted between July 12 and 15 using a standard-structured questionnaire, which was translated in local languages. The locations were selected randomly and the respondents were selected from the latest electoral rolls using random sampling technique.

The first big question: What is the level of awareness about recent developments on the political front?

While 28 per cent of the people have no idea that the Left and the Congress have separated owing to differences over the Indo-US nuclear deal, 72 per cent know about it.

On the other had 31 per cent have no idea what the Indo-US nuclear deal is about, 69 per cent knew about it and 34 per cent people are in favour of the deal now, as compared to 27 per cent about 10 months ago. Just 13 per cent people say they are against the deal, which is less than the 17 per cent who said they opposed it in September 2007.

While 21 per cent feel that a decision on the nuclear deal is best left to the government, which is the same as September 2007 and 32 per cent have no opinion on the issue.

Different age groups showed a different attitude towards the deal. Among the 18 to 25 year age group, 47 per cent were for the deal and only 10 per cent were against it. Fifty six per cent graduates want the deal with only 17 per cent opposing it. A relatively less 22 per cent Muslims are for it while 18 per cent are against it and rest have no opinion. Twenty-four per cent elderly people also showed enthusiasm for the deal and 16 per cent were against it

Congress MP Sachin Pilot seemed happy with the findings and said, “I think we have know it all along (that most people support the deal) I am not all surprised by the findings. People in India know we are an energy deficient country and this nuclear deal with US is a good thing for the country.”

BJP MP Manvendra Singh was of the view that the majority still doesn’t support the nuclear deal.

“No party can depend on its election prospects on one section of society. We look at India as whole and 34 per cent in favour of the deal is not a majority,” Manvendra said.