Sonia Gandhi’s stature as the most respected political leader appears quite secure. Given a choice, a clear majority of the respondents and two thirds of the Congress voters would like to see Sonia Gandhi herself rather than Manmohan Singh as the prime minister.

Only the BJP and the Left voters contest this proposition. The Congress voters would, on balance, settle for Rahul Gandhi as well in preference to Singh. But this sentiment does not prevail outside the Congress voters. Among the Congress voters who have an opinion, nearly 90% would prefer someone from the Gandhi family to Singh or anyone else.

If the Gandhi family is excluded from consideration, 40% respondents would like Sigh to continue as against only 22% who would like him to be replaced by someone else within the party. In this respect, the Congress voters were no different than the rest; voters of Congress allies were more loyal to Singh than the Congressmen.

When those wanting a change were asked to name the alternative, no Congress leader could secure even 2% of popular support. Most of the pro-changers favoured “any one from Congress.” In other words, while people prefer Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi continues to enjoy a free hand in this matter.

The respondents don’t mind her role in the decision-making of the government. No one except BJP voters, not even those who voted for the BJP allies, have any problem in the PM taking instructions from Sonia Gandhi.

The media and the analysts may have problems with this unusual division of political and governmental power, but the ordinary people are not bothered by these subtleties.

... contd.