BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is way ahead of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi as the people's choice to lead the country after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, according to an opinion poll.

 

Modi, with 53 percent people favouring him as the next prime minister, is way ahead as only 15 percent favoured Rahul Gandhi as the prime minister, said the survey by ABP News-Nielsen, asking people "Kaun Banega Pradhanmantri" (Who will be the prime minister).

 

 Arvind Kejriwal, who created flutters by his Aam Aadmi Party forming the government in Delhi, was favoured by just five percent people picking him to be the next prime minister.

 

 Others, including Mulayam Singh Yadav, together polled 27 percent of the votes. The opinion poll was conducted by ABP News-Nielsen between Dec 28 and Jan 12 with 64,006 respondents.

 

 In West Bengal, as per the opinion poll, almost half (49 percent) of the respondents surveyed in the state feel that Modi's image will help the Bharatiya Janata Party to gain more votes in the state in 2014 elections.

  

 Price rise and inflation were the main issues that would swing fortunes in favour of Modi and the BJP, with 47 percent (25,430) people surveyed felt the BJP can bring down prices.

 

 Other issues that would weigh with the voters are employment, help to farmers, corruption, electricity bills, law and order and education for all children.

 

 The efforts of the Congress to make snoopgate an issue against Modi may not affect voters' choice, as the survey said the majority (47 percent) of respondents don't think that the allegation against Modi on illegal surveillance of a woman was true.

 

 At least 36 percent respondents feel that the central government's decision to probe the snoopgate was not right.

 

 The opinion poll also predicted that the BJP would get 210 seats, Congress trailing behind with 81 seats, AAP getting 11 seats and others getting 241 seats.

 

 It said the BJP was set to make big gains in northern and western India where it is likely to pick 81 seats each, with eastern and southern India likely to contribute 43 and 19 seats respectively.

 

 The opinion poll showed strong anti-incumbency mood with majority (61 percent) saying that the United Progressive Alliance government should not get another chance.

 

 The poll also said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was likely face the brunt of snapping ties with the BJP. It said 72 percent respondents in Bihar felt that Nitish Kumar committed a mistake by snapping ties with the BJP.