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Alpha Marathi opinion poll anticipate Congress-NCP to win
MUMBAI: The second phase of an opinion poll on Maharashtra Assembly Elections conducted between 19 to 23 September, found Congress-NCP is anticipated to sweep a clear majority by winning 163 to 169 seats, while Sena-BJP alliance is expected to win 98 to 102 seats.
The outcome of the poll was revealed in a special programme Janadesh on Alpha Marathi channel on Saturday night. The programme will be repeated on Alpha TV on 26 September at 1 pm.
The opinion poll was conducted by Alpha Marathi and Taleem, Ahmedabad based organisation, where 3475 voters from 36 constituencies were interviewed for the poll. However, the study signifies 28 per cent of voters are still undecided on whom to vote or may not vote at all. This number has increased by three per cent over the first phase of the poll, informs the official release.
Alpha Marathi business head Nitin Vaidya says, “The second phase of opinion poll is self explanatory that the voters are looking forward to the Congress-NCP alliance government. It is clearly indicative that the voter’s decision is evolving. Alpha Marathi, decided to undertake this opinion poll with the prime objective of understanding the main issues which the electorate wants to be addressed. Whether the voters are inclined towards INC / NCP ruling party and the likelihood of their returning them to power or to BJP / Shiv Sena alliance.”
The election issues, which concerned the respondents, ranked the order of concern on development (87 per cent), farmers’ related issues (85 per cent), unemployment (84 per cent) and good governance (78 per cent), criminalisation of politics is concerned for 46 per cent respondents, separate Vidarbha 27 per cent and Savarkar controversy 25 per cent. While only 51 per cent respondents have favoured reservations in jobs, only 23 per cent respondents have opined that it was proper to launch Tiranga Yatra, informs the official communiqué.
The poll also highlights that 30 per cent of the respondents favoured chief minister Susheelkumar Shinde over the other contenders, followed by BJP’s Gopinath Munde having support of nine per cent and Uddhav Thacekray having eight per cent. However 34 per cent respondents were unable to say who they would prefer as next chief minister.
According to the poll results, as much as 27 per cent voters plan to vote for Congress followed by 15 per cent for NCP; BJP -Shiv Sena have been favoured by only 12 per cent and 13 per cent respectively. The remaining five per cent voters are distributed among various regional parties, the visible being the Bahujan Samaj Party with two per cent voters opting for it.
When asked on the formation of the next government, around 41 per cent of respondents favoured Congress/NCP, followed by with 26 per cent BJP/Shiv Sena combine will come to power. Here too, the percentage of cannot say is huge 31 per cent.
In the first phase of the opinion poll conducted last month, Congress-NCP combine expected to win 144 seats and Sena-BJP expected to win 128. Other parties and independents were predicted to win 16 seats.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
