Lok Sabha polls: NDA may win up to 231 seats, Congress headed for worst ever performance, says a survey

The survey said 34 percent of those surveyed preferred Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate and 15 percent wanted Rahul Gandhi.

Sonia Gandhi had five percent ratings as prime ministerial candidate while Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had three percent.

"In a direct face-off between Modi and Rahul, 42 percent prefer the former and 25 percent the latter as PM (candidate). Forty-nine percent respondents across India say BJP's decision to name Modi as PM candidate was correct," the survey said.

It said 22 percent respondents preferred senior BJP leader L.K. Advani as prime ministerial choice if Modi is not accepted as the coalition leader after the elections.