Latest news with #VoteVibe
News18
5 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Kerala May Deliver Double-Edged Mandate In Favour Of Congress-Led UDF
In view of Vote Vibe findings, many wonder whether Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi would risk their credibility to push Venugopal to become the CM face in Kerala According to Vote Vibe survey agency, the 2026 edition of Kerala assembly polls, a strong anti-incumbency wave, a clear desire for change is set to see the downfall of Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF. But the Congress-UDF faces a leadership challenge. Nonconformist Shashi Tharoor is the most popular choice as Vijayan's successor. Tharoor's popularity ratings are 28.4 per cent while his party rivals for the coveted post trail badly. For instance, AICC general secretary in charge of organisation, K C Venugopal is pegged at a poor 4.2 per cent while others, namely V D Satheeshan and Sunny Joseph, have popularity ratings of 15 per cent and 2 per cent, respectively. Other contenders such as Ramesh Chennithala and K Murleedharan have a support of 8.2 and 6 per cent popularity ratings. Significantly, Vote Vibe has conducted the survey after Operation Sindoor which implies that Tharoor's unconventional stand has not undermined Thiruvananthapuram ratings within and outside the UDF-Congress circles. Tharoor was part of the government delegation that was sent abroad to propagate India's stand against terrorism. Subsequently, some of the remarks made by Tharoor became a subject of controversy, drawing criticism from the grand old party. Tharoor went on to describe Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a 'national asset' in a write-up in a national daily. Tharoor's popularity as indicated by Vote Vibe survey is going to pose multiple challenges for AICC Chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. A number of UDF allies namely IUML, KC, RSP, CMP and KDP representatives reportedly favour Tharoor as UDF's chief ministerial face. Some of the key findings of the survey are: 1. Strong Anti-Incumbency Wave: 47.9% 2. Strong Desire for Change: 62% want to replace their current MLA 3. Party Trust Dynamics: UDF leads with 38.9% 4. Leadership Issue: Shashi Tharoor leads (28.3%), but 27.1% are uncertain. LDF: KK Shailaja tops (24.2%), current CM Pinarayi Vijayan only 17.5%, with a massive 41.5% uncertain among LDF supporters. 5. Electoral Implications: Clear anti-establishment wave; UDF positioned as a change alternative. In view of Vote Vibe findings, many wonder whether Kharge and Rahul Gandhi would risk their own credibility to push Venugopal to become the chief ministerial face in Kerala simply because most AICC office bearers and party leaders living in Delhi want him out as General Secretary in charge of Organisation or simply because they believe that Congress party's fortune will change once KCV is out from the national party headquarters or as a shadow of Rahul Gandhi? Vote Vibe has also conducted an in-depth survey for Bengal stating that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee continues to enjoy significant public support, positioning her as a key player in the upcoming electoral contest. Mamata Banerjee remains the most popular choice for Chief Minister, with 41.7% support, the survey has concluded. The author is a Visiting Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. A well-known political analyst, he has written several books, including '24 Akbar Road' and 'Sonia: A Biography'. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. view comments First Published: July 08, 2025, 16:57 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
10-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
"Shashi Tharoor As Chief Minister" Survey Cooked Up: Kerala Ex Minister
New Delhi: A former minister in Kerala from the Congress has dismissed a survey that indicated party colleague Shashi Tharoor is the most preferred candidate for the chief minister's post. The next assembly election in Kerala will be held in 2026. Mr Tharoor, whose actions and comments in recent times have led to speculation of a surprise announcement, in a post on X shared the survey by a private organisation 'Vote Vibe', which said the Congress MP seemed to be the best fit for the chief minister's post in the southern state where the United Democratic Front (UDF) government is struggling with factional tension. The former state minister, Ramesh Chennithala, to a question by reporters on Mr Tharoor endorsing the results of the private survey, said, "Such surveys have no credibility. They are all cooked up. You will see many such surveys come up ahead of elections." "It is all fabricated," Mr Chennithala, who was also Leader of Opposition in the Kerala assembly. Other Congress leaders in Kerala have not commented on the matter. 🙏🏼 — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 9, 2025 Newly appointed Kerala Congress chief Sunny Josep sought to downplay the survey's claim. He said that in the Congress, leadership decisions are made only after the election result. "There is a process for it." Mr Tharoor's ties with the Congress leadership have been strained since he decided to contest the party's presidential election against Mallikarjun Kharge. Tension escalated further when his name was excluded from the list of Congress leaders - selected by the party - recommended for the Union government's Operation Sindoor outreach. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi later invited Mr Tharoor to lead a delegation to the US and other countries. On his return, he acknowledged differences with the party leadership but said he was open to a dialogue if asked. A four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram since 2009, Mr Tharoor topped the Vote Vibe pre-poll survey with 28.3 per cent support in Kerala. The survey, however, flagged a leadership vacuum within the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), with 27.1 per cent of voters remaining undecided on the alliance's face.
NDTV
09-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Shashi Tharoor Shares Survey In Which He Tops Kerala Chief Minister Poll
Thiruvananthapuram: Amid an uneasy equation with the Congress high command, senior leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor appears to have received a significant boost from a pre-poll survey conducted by Mumbai-based VoteVibe, which names him as the most preferred candidate for the post of Kerala Chief Minister. Shashi Tharoor wasted no time in sharing the survey results on his X handle on Wednesday. The post -- seemingly shared by a supporter -- was also tagged to senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, K.C. Venugopal, Priyanka Gandhi, and Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan. The fan's post read, "@shashtharoor emerges as the best bet for chief ministerial choice for the 2026 Kerala polls for a faction-ridden UDF alliance, a recent survey reveals." While top Congress leaders in the state have so far refrained from commenting on the development, the newly appointed Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, Sunny Joseph, sought to downplay it. He said that in Congress, leadership decisions are made only after the election results. There is a process for it. It is widely known in party circles that Tharoor's ties with the Congress central leadership have been strained since he decided to contest the party presidential election against Mallikarjun Kharge. The tension escalated further when his name was excluded from the list of Congress leaders recommended for the Union government's Operation Sindoor outreach. However, in a notable turn, Prime Minister Narendra Modi later invited Shashi Tharoor to lead a delegation to the US and other countries. On his return, Shashi Tharoor acknowledged differences with the party leadership but said he was open to a dialogue if asked. A four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram since 2009, Shashi Tharoor topped the VoteVibe pre-poll survey with 28.3 per cent support among voters in the state. However, the survey also flagged a leadership vacuum within the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), with 27.1 per cent of voters remaining undecided on the alliance's face. The crisis of leadership appears even starker within the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF). Former Health Minister K.K. Shailaja emerged as the most preferred leader with 24.2 per cent support, while incumbent Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan lagged behind at 17.5 per cent.
Hans India
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Shashi Tharoor shares survey naming him most preferred CM candidate in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram: Amid an uneasy equation with the Congress high command, senior leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor appears to have received a significant boost from a pre-poll survey conducted by Mumbai-based VoteVibe, which names him as the most preferred candidate for the post of Kerala Chief Minister. Tharoor wasted no time in sharing the survey results on his X handle on Wednesday. The post -- seemingly shared by a supporter -- was also tagged to senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, K.C. Venugopal, Priyanka Gandhi, and Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan. The fan's post read, '@shashtharoor emerges as the best bet for chief ministerial choice for the 2026 Kerala polls for a faction-ridden UDF alliance, a recent survey reveals.' While top Congress leaders in the state have so far refrained from commenting on the development, the newly appointed Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, Sunny Joseph, sought to downplay it. He said that in Congress, leadership decisions are made only after the election results. There is a process for it. It is widely known in party circles that Tharoor's ties with the Congress central leadership have been strained since he decided to contest the party presidential election against Mallikarjun Kharge. The tension escalated further when his name was excluded from the list of Congress leaders recommended for the Union government's Operation Sindoor outreach. However, in a notable turn, Prime Minister Narendra Modi later invited Tharoor to lead a delegation to the US and other countries. On his return, Tharoor acknowledged differences with the party leadership but said he was open to a dialogue if asked. A four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram since 2009, Tharoor topped the VoteVibe pre-poll survey with 28.3 per cent support among voters in the state. However, the survey also flagged a leadership vacuum within the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), with 27.1 per cent of voters remaining undecided on the alliance's face. The crisis of leadership appears even starker within the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF). Former Health Minister K.K. Shailaja emerged as the most preferred leader with 24.2 per cent support, while incumbent Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan lagged behind at 17.5 per cent.
News18
07-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
Mumbai's Poll Mood: BJP Ahead, But Thackeray Legacy Keeps Sena Camps In BMC Fight
Last Updated: A survey reveals a growing sense of dissatisfaction among Mumbaikars, not just with the prolonged absence of elected corporators, but also the way administrators have run the show As Mumbai readies itself for the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the city's political pulse is getting harder to ignore. According to a private survey—Vote Vibe—the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues to lead the race, but the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction is far from out, riding on a wave of emotional connect, legacy politics, and discontent against the current civic setup. The survey findings reveal a growing sense of dissatisfaction among Mumbaikars—not just with the prolonged absence of elected corporators, but also with the way administrators have run the show for over two years. Many citizens feel ignored, voiceless, and stuck with an inefficient civic structure. 'There's no one to hold accountable. The roads are broken, the drains are clogged, and nobody is answerable," said Rukmini Sharma, a schoolteacher from Kurla. 'We miss the days when we could approach our corporators directly." While BJP is banking on its strong organisational setup and state-central government coordination to push its 'development-first" narrative, the survey indicates that it's not a one-sided battle. SHS-UBT, though weakened structurally after the split, continues to draw support—especially in Marathi heartland pockets where Balasaheb Thackeray's image still looms large. A striking trend observed in the survey is the emotional weight carried by the Thackeray surname. Aaditya Thackeray's outreach and Uddhav Thackeray's consistent connect with the grassroots have kept their faction politically relevant. 'Mumbai belongs to Balasaheb. His family still speaks our language," said Vinay Pawar, a 38-year-old resident of Dadar. Interestingly, the idea of Uddhav and Raj Thackeray joining hands—though both party leaders are just making statements and no official talks have begun as of now—shows surprising support among voters. Many believe a united Thackeray front could re-energise the Shiv Sena brand and reclaim its central space in Mumbai politics. At many places in Mumbai, like Goregaon in western suburbs and Girgaon in South Mumbai, supporters of both Thackeray brothers have put a banner urging them to reunite for betterment of 'Marathi Manoos'. Even Shiv Sena UBT mouthpiece 'Saamana', while quoting Uddhav Thackeray, said: 'What is there is in the heart of Marathi Manoos, it will happen." Saamana also used an old picture of Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray sitting together, when the latter was part of undivided Shiv Sena. At the same time, BJP's calculated partnership with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction may face turbulence due to this growing emotional narrative. While Shinde's team has official backing, the survey shows that legitimacy in the eyes of voters is still up for debate. This dissatisfaction is not just party-specific—it's systemic. The lack of elected representation, unfulfilled civic promises, and visible decay in public infrastructure have created a strong undercurrent of demand for change. And in this climate, the party that can convincingly claim both performance and emotional authenticity is likely to emerge stronger. For the Congress and the NCP (Sharad Pawar), the challenge lies in staying relevant. Though their roles appear limited in the current electoral narrative, their decisions on alliances and targeted campaigning could tip the scales in tightly contested wards. As campaigning gains momentum, what's clear from the survey is that Mumbai is not just voting for development this time—it is voting for dignity, accountability, and identity. Whether the BJP manages to translate its lead into votes or the Thackerays turn nostalgia into numbers remains the big question. But one thing is certain: the BMC polls in 2025 will be a defining moment in Mumbai's political story. First Published: June 07, 2025, 16:21 IST
