No anti-incumbency: 'The people are happy with the government' - Cho on Rediff

There are pre elections survey and then there are other surveys. Right from the time of Prannoy Roy and NDTV (when it was just a election content provider for Doordharshan) elections have meant surveys, predictions, exit polls and guess work. And this election is no different.

But it is interesting in the sense that there is more sophistication in the surveys and the way in which they are communicated. So much so that parties are trying to get the EC to ban publication of exit poll results in two stage elections so that they don't influence the second stage polling. In vain.

And while the Hindu-CNN-IBN survey has been doing a completely 'professional' job of laying out what could be the outcome (a sample here), there are some time tested methods that are being used by Cho. Ramaswamy edited Thuqlaq (could not find a weblink to this mag, am i looking right?)

In an interview on Rediff.com on the survey the editor himself describes the methodology;

Our reporters also have gone around 100 constituencies in the state. But we don't have any statistical method or any scientific basis for all this. Our reporters just talk to people and get their feedback. We have been doing this all along, and most of the time, we have been right.

The interview goes on to lay out that how the people are happy with the government and there is a wave for the incumbent.

Well, consider this about the editor of this mag. Maybe he has changed in the last 6 years. Definitely hope so.

PS: Interesting post on media and elections here