Lok Sabha polls Phase-3: Modi govt's toughest perception battle ends today
When voting for Phase 3 of Lok Sabha elections 2019 ends on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government might heave a sigh of relief. The region going to the polls today is the one where, according to data, the Modi government is the least popular and gets the least credit for its 'tough on Pakistan' stance, especially with the Balakot air strike. Voting in all five states of South India — Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana — will have concluded on April 23. Together, these states account for 129 parliamentary constituencies, or close to a fourth (23.75 per cent) of the total. While Uttar Pradesh might be the state that will decide the fate of the Modi government, the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies' (CSDS') National Election Study pre-poll survey, conducted towards the end of March this year, shows that Modi might face the toughest time in winning over voters in South India. Among all regions, South India ha