Google survey: 10 most searched leaders

Narendra Modi, BJP: The BJP's top man for 2014 is the leader most searched for online. Mr Modi is currently the Chief Minister of Gujarat

Data source: Google 

Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

Rahul Gandhi, Congress: In second place is the Gandhi scion and vice-president of the Congress. Rahul Gandhi represents Amethi in the Parliament.

Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

Sonia Gandhi, Congress: At number three is Rahul's mother and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. Mrs Gandhi has been party leader since 1998.

Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress: The current Prime Minister of India is the fourth most searched leader.

Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

Arvind Kejriwal, Aam Aadmi Party: Political debutant Arvind Kejriwal rounds up the top five. Mr Kejriwal will fight the Delhi elections against outgoing Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

J Jayalalithaa, AIADMK: The reigning Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu is the second woman leader among the top 10. She was elected to the state legislature from Srirangam in 2011.

Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party: The current Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh comes in at number seven. Mr Yadav is India's youngest ever Chief Minister.

Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

Nitish Kumar, Janata Dal (U): Chief Minister of Bihar since 2005, Nitish Kumar has been credited with bringing winds of change and development to his state.

Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

Sushma Swaraj, BJP: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Ms Swaraj is the third woman leader on this list. She represents Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh in Parliament.

Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

 

Digvijay Singh, Congress: The AICC general secretary and former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh rounds up the top 10.

Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

Google survey: Urban India, the Internet and 2014

Google India has released the findings of a survey conducted to understand the impact of the Internet on the General Election of 2014. Conducted over two months, the survey covers 108 constituencies over 86 cities
Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

 

The survey showed 37% of urban Indian voters are online, and have started looking for election-related information
Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

85% online urban Indians have voted in previous elections. 99% of those over 50 have voted previously, 64% of those aged between 18 and 25 have voted previously
Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

Who will they vote for? 42% of urban Indians are undecided
Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

For many, local candidates are as important as the party. Less important are the party leaders and the candidate for Prime Minister
Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

45% would like to see information online related to local issues, developmental activities and candidate or party manifestos. 39% would be open to signing up for party volunteer programs
Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

50% urban Indians would engage with politicians online via the politician's website, social network page or through video conferencing
Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

62% urban Indians consider politicians with online presence ‘highly progressive'
Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013 

Most urban Indians prefer to keep their political views out of the public, online space
Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

18% urban Indians are always interested in elections and politics and 35% start looking for information online three months before elections
Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

Staying connected: a whopping 77% surf the net at home, 36% use their phones
Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

Information about individual leaders is marginally more looked for than party-specific information
Data source: Google
Duration: March 2013 to August 2013

Google survey: 40% of India's urban voters undecided, Narendra Modi most searched

New Delhi: Over 40 per cent urban Indian voters are undecided on the political party of their choice, a survey by Google India has revealed, months ahead of elections due by May. (Google survey: urban Indian voters and the internet)

The survey also reveals that Narendra Modi has emerged as the politician most searched on the Internet in the past six months. (Here are India's 10 most-searched politicians)

The BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate is followed by Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and anti-corruption campaigner, Arvind Kejriwal, who debuts in the November Delhi assembly polls.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is the sixth most searched politician in India.

Mr Modi's BJP also tops the list of most searched political parties. The Congress, Mr Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party, Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party and Shiv Sena are the others most searched.

Search volumes reveal that four of the top 10 politicians are from Congress, while two belong to the BJP.

The survey not only found 42% of the voters undecided, but revealed that most voters believe the local candidate is as important as the political party, in deciding who to vote for. Only 11 per cent said the Prime Ministerial candidate of a political party will play an important role in their voting decision.

Google India's survey, which studies the role of Internet in the upcoming polls, covers over 7,000 internet users in 108 constituencies; it represents 20% of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies across India.

Urban India is asking for more information on the local candidate on the Net, revealed the survey, to help them decide. Half of the undecided voters feel information on Internet is not enough.

Internet presence, felt the respondents, shows politicians as progressive and transparent leaders.

Two-thirds of the registered voters don't share their political views online, a fallout of the recent crackdown on social media posts.