Modi wave: US Pew Research Center suggests crushing loss for Congress

The northern states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi, together home to more than 400 million, support the BJP most, with 74 per cent saying they preferred the party.

The BJP's weakest backing, around 54 per cent, is in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Mr Modi's Gujarat.

Nearly 60 per cent voters said the BJP is likely to be more successful than the Congress in creating job opportunities, reducing terrorism and check corruption.  

The Pew survey said only 17 per cent say Congress would do a better job dealing with graft.