Kejriwal tops non-UPA, non-NDA PM probable; Modi is still middle class 'messiah': Survey

February 16, 2014

New Delhi, Feb 16: BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi continues to be the top choice for Prime Minister, according to an India Today Group/CVoter survey of the Indian Middle Class with 52.1 per cent preferring him. Aam Aadmi party leader Arvind Kejriwal came second at 15.8 per cent and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi third at 11.5 per cent.

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Asked about Modi's key attributes, the middle class ranked development (29.4 per cent) above Hindu nationalism (26.1 per cent).

Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal continues to be the favourite for PM from the non-UPA, non-NDA lot with 25.7 per cent support. Mayawati, surprisingly, came in second with 8.2 per cent and Mulayam Singh Yadav third at 5 per cent.

The middle class, however, thought Rahul Gandhi was the best bet in the Congress for PM. Rahul got 41.1 per cent, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh got 13.3 per cent. While they may crib about the Gandhi dynasty monopoly in the Congress, 51.8 per cent of the middle class was sure the party cannot do without the family.

Though Manmohan Singh got a measly 2.2 per cent for top choice for PM, almost 61 per cent of respondents said Singh is an honest person despite the coal scam besmirching the economist-PM's image.

But there was no respite for the UPA 2 which continued to be slammed by the middle class for price rise and corruption. The respondents said price rise at 37 per cent and corruption at 36.6 per cent were the hallmarks of the government that has ruled since 2009. The UPA's mismanagement of the economy was also noted to be the second biggest reason for the slowing down of the India growth story at 25.1 per cent, corruption was the first reason at 34.3 per cent.

While 58.2 per cent of the middle class said it was 'not at all satisfied' with Manmohan Singh, 52.5 per cent said it was very much satisfied with Modi. Even Rahul Gandhi got a dismal rating with 47.3 per cent saying they were not at all satisfied.

Corruption was the most troubling issue for the middle class. Among those polled, 40.4 per cent said bribes affected them the most, followed by rising prices at 18 per cent and unemployment at 11.7 per cent. The survey found the middle class least interested in hostility between India and its neighbours and Naxalism, which was said to be India's biggest internal security threat by PM Manmohan Singh a few years ago.

But Naxals were the third biggest threat to India at 21.4 per cent after cross-border terror (34.3 per cent) and religious fundamentalism (26.8 per cent).

With 50 per cent of the respondents saying AAP will replicate their Delhi success in the Lok Sabha, the middle class is divided since an equal number say it can't.

The India Today/CVoter survey was conducted between January 3 and 30 across all states interviewing 17,463 randomly selected middle income group respondents across all demographics. The respondents were divided into lower middle class, middle and upper.

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December 2,2025

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Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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December 4,2025

Mangaluru: Chaos erupted at Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) after IndiGo flight 6E 5150, bound for Mumbai, was repeatedly delayed and ultimately cancelled, leaving around 100 passengers stranded overnight. The incident highlights the ongoing country-wide operational disruptions affecting the airline, largely due to the implementation of new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms for crew.

The flight was initially scheduled for 9:25 PM on Tuesday but was first postponed to 11:40 PM, then midnight, before being cancelled around 3:00 AM. Passengers expressed frustration over last-minute communication and the lack of clarity, with elderly and ailing travellers particularly affected. “Though the airline arranged food, there was no proper communication, leaving us confused,” said one family member.

An IndiGo executive at MIA cited the FDTL rules, designed to prevent pilot fatigue by limiting crew working hours, as the cause of the cancellation. While alternative arrangements, including hotel stays, were offered, about 100 passengers chose to remain at the airport, creating tension. A replacement flight was arranged but also faced delays due to the same constraints, finally departing for Mumbai around 1:45 PM on Wednesday. Passengers either flew, requested refunds, or postponed their travel.

The Mangaluru delay is part of a broader crisis for IndiGo. The airline has been forced to make “calibrated schedule adjustments”—a euphemism for widespread cancellations and delays—after stricter FDTL norms came into effect on November 1.

While an IndiGo spokesperson acknowledged unavoidable flight disruptions due to technology issues, operational requirements, and the updated crew rostering rules, the DGCA has intervened, summoning senior airline officials to explain the chaos and outline corrective measures.

The ripple effect has been felt across the country, with major hubs like Bengaluru and Mumbai reporting numerous cancellations. The Mangaluru incident underscores the systemic operational strain currently confronting India’s largest carrier, leaving passengers nationwide grappling with uncertainty and delays.

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