“After Modi, who?”—a question that has been on the minds of BJP supporters for quite some time. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi approaches the end of his third term and nears his 75th birthday, speculation about his successor within the BJP is naturally growing. The August 2024 edition of the India Today Mood of the Nation Survey offers a glimpse into the public’s preferences for who should take up the mantle after Modi.
According to this bi-annual flagship survey by the India Today Group, Amit Shah emerges as the top contender, with over 25% of respondents backing him as the best choice to succeed PM Modi as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate. He is followed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who garnered around 19% support, and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, who secured 13% of the votes.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan are also seen as potential successors, each receiving around 5% of the votes in the survey.
However, it’s worth noting that Amit Shah’s 25% approval rating represents a slight decline from previous surveys. In the February 2024 and August 2023 editions of the Mood of the Nation Survey, 28% and 29% of respondents, respectively, had chosen Shah as Modi’s successor.
Interestingly, Shah enjoys even stronger support in South India, where 31% of respondents believe he is the best candidate to lead the BJP after Modi, surpassing his national approval rating of 25%.
Similarly, Yogi Adityanath’s popularity has seen a slight dip, dropping from 25% in August 2023 to 24% in February 2024, and now standing at 19% in the latest survey. Meanwhile, Nitin Gadkari has consistently attracted 13% of the vote share as a potential successor.
As Shah and Adityanath’s ratings decline, the survey highlights the rise of other BJP leaders. Rajnath Singh and Shivraj Singh Chouhan have gained traction, with Singh’s approval rising by 1.2 percentage points since August 2024. Chouhan, in particular, has seen a significant increase in support, jumping from 2.9% in August 2023 to 5.4% in the latest survey.
Chouhan’s surge in popularity coincides with his appointment as the Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare Minister in the Modi 3.0 cabinet in June 2024. His newfound prominence in this role seems to have resonated with voters, contributing to his growing appeal as a potential prime ministerial candidate.
The August 2024 India Today Mood of the Nation Survey, conducted by CVoter between July 15 and August 10, 2024, interviewed 40,591 respondents across all 543 Lok Sabha segments. Additionally, 95,872 interviews from CVoter’s regular weekly tracker were analysed to identify long-term trends in vote and seat share.
