Sikkim CM emerges as most popular leader in home state yet again: India Today MOTN poll

Prem Singh Tamang, Chief Minister of Sikkim, has topped the popularity charts with a 62.1 per cent approval rating, according to the latest India Today Mood of the Nation poll released this February.

The numbers tell a striking story of political transformation. A year ago, Tamang's approval rating stood at just 26 per cent. By August 2024, it jumped to 55.7 per cent, before reaching its current peak - marking the sharpest rise among all chief ministers tracked in the survey.

Tamil Nadu's MK Stalin follows at 56.8 per cent, while Assam's Himanta Biswa Sarma ranks third with 55.4 per cent approval. Both these leaders have maintained relatively stable ratings over the past year, making Tamang's rapid ascent more noteworthy.

"Respondents of every state were asked to evaluate the performance of their own chief minister," the survey notes, highlighting that the 62.1 per cent figure comes from 499 respondents in Sikkim.

The poll results align with broader political trends in the state. Tamang's party, the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), continues to hold the state's single Lok Sabha seat as part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Other chief ministers in the top ten include Gujarat's Bhupendrabhai Patel at 54.2 per cent and Andhra Pradesh's Chandrababu Naidu at 46.9 per cent. West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee and Tripura's Manik Saha registered mixed performances, while Karnataka's Siddaramaiah showed modest improvement at 38.9 per cent.

The survey captures shifting political dynamics across states as India approaches crucial electoral battles, with Tamang's rising popularity standing out as a significant trend in regional leadership.