Karnataka elections: Siddaramaiah is No. 1 choice for CM, predicts opinion poll

India Today-Karvy opinion poll has predicted that incumbent Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is the top choice for the CM's post. 33% of the respondents have have rated Siddaramaiah as their top choice, while BJP's Yeddyurappa is at second place with 26% respondents voting for him. The JD (S)'s HD Kumaraswamy has emerged third best choice for CM with 21% respondents voting for him.

As per the opinion poll, several factors are in favour of Siddaramaiah, who is fighting anti-incumbency in a state that has not given any government a second term in a long time. Supreme Court's recent verdict in the Cauvery river sharing matter was in favour of Karnataka. The recent ruling reduced the amount of water that Karnataka used to to released for Tamil Nadu. 49 % of the respondents have said that the SC verdict would benefit the Congress, while 34% have said to no to it. 17 % have also opted for 'don't know' or can't say.

Every time Congress president Rahul Gandhi visits Karnataka he visits temples. 42 % of the respondents feel that this has benefitted the Congress while 35% have said no to it.