Unemployment Most Important Issue In Karnataka Election, Corruption Not An Issue: Survey

The survey finds that alleged corruption during the five years of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Karnataka is not an electoral issue. 

The surveya also finds that employment- and economy-related issues are the prime electoral issues in Karnataka. 

The survey was conducted during April 20-28 among a total of 2,143 voters registered in 82 polling booths across randomly-selected 21 assembly segments, according to NDTV.

Karnataka is going to polls on May 10. Counting of votes will take place on May 13. The Congress is seeking to oust the ruling BJP from Karnataka. 

What are the survey findings?

Overall, unemployment is the biggest issue in Karnataka elections, particularly among the youth of the state, as per the NDTV-Lokniti/CSDS survey.

In the rural areas, however, poverty is the most important issue, says the survey result.

As for the most important issue ahead of Karnataka elections, the survey finds that 28 per cent participants said unemployment; 25 per cent said poverty; and 7 per cent each said lack of development, price rise, and education; 6 per cent said corruption.

This is significant as the Congress party has focussed on the alleged corruption during the last five years of BJP rule in Karnataka. The Congress has raised the allegations of commissions and bribery and has thrown "40 per cent" barbs at BJP state government over allegations that BJP seeks a 40 per cent commission in contracts and other affairs.

However, even though corruption appears to not be an election issue, there is consensus that it has increased in the past five years, finds the survey.

NDTV reports, "To the pointed question of whether corruption has increased in the last five years (when the BJP has been in power), more than half of the respondents said it has. Fifty-one per cent said corruption has increased, 35 per cent said it has remained the same, while 11 per cent said it has gone down."