PALINI R. SWAMY writes from Bangalore: We can all quibble over the credibility of the CNN-IBN-Deccan Herald pre-poll survey depending on which electoral barstool we are sitting on till result day. But one of its most striking features is a small but startling insight it gives into the mind of the Karnataka voter.

The CSDS pollsters doing the fieldwork for the survey, read out this passage to respondents:

"I am going to read out a few issues which are likely to influence the voting decisions of voters in Karnataka. In deciding who to vote for, which of the following issues is likely to influence your voting decision the most?"

Out of every 100 respondents, 38 of them said the lack of basic amenities and infrastructure would influence their voting decision; 21 of them said the condition of farmers; 11 of them said the stability of the government would influence their voting decision.

Just 8 out of every 100 respondents said corruption would influence their voting decision. In other words, 92 out of every 100 people indicated that corruption wouldn't didn't indicate that corruption would influence their voting decision.

This, in a State which has been exposed to mind-numbing images of sleaze and graft over the last decade, so much as to be called the "Bihar of the South."

Chief ministers and their families (and sons-in-law and girlfriends) buying up property worth tens of crores. Ministers counting notes on live television. Ministers treating portfolios like their family fief, legislators building educational and shopping complexes, apartments and hotels. Mine owners hopping around in helicopters. Lok Ayukta unearthing crores worth "disproportionate" assets from officers and clerks.

Etcetera.

Why, in a relatively poor State that has seen such a torrent of corruption, has corruption ceased to be an important issue for the voter when he stands in front of the electronic voting machine? Why is the voter not bothered about the personal aggrandisement, at his cost, of those whom he elects?

Have we become desensitised to corruption with so much of it all around us? Has corruption become a way of life, a part of our lives? Are we not bothered because we are just concerned about "getting our work done"? Have we started accepting corruption as a necessary evil, something which won't go away come what may?

Have we somehow factored it into our lives for all time to come?

Ravi Krishna Reddy, the NRI techie standing from Jayanagar, has sent out the following promise:

"If elected, I will not buy any property during my tenure. I will also not run any other profit making business. I will meet my and my family's expenses from my salary as a legislator and my wife's salary."

Is such an open declaration of intent of integrity something we, as voters, don't like or don't trust? For all our protestations, do we see vicariously power-politics as an short-cut to quick money? Do we want our leaders to make it big, make it rich, and live in style? And if he or she is of our caste, community, religion, language, the better?

Are we very forgiving or very foolish?

Are we caught in a feudal trap, where we want our leaders to be like rulers?

Or, are we all hopelessly corrupt in our own little ways, which is why we are so subliminally sympathetic of those who practice it so openly, so brazenly, so unapologetically?

Is that why the words "sketch" and "deal" have become such an integral part of Kannada popular culture?

Also read: How China changed the politics of Karnataka

Photograph: courtesy Press Trust of India

The survey has been conducted for the television channel CNN-IBN in collaboration with Deccan Herald by Yogendra Yadav and team of the Centre for Study of Developing Societies (CSDS). The pre-poll survey was done in 75 constituencies with a sample size of a little over 5,000.

The poll predicts a four per cent swing in favour of the Congress and a minor one per cent swing against the BJP. The Congress will secure 39 per cent of the popular vote, with the BJP securing 28 per cent and the JD (S) securing 20 per cent votes. The BSP will get only two per cent of the votes.

Old Mysore: Keen race among all three parties

Bangalore: Congress comfortable lead over BJP and JDS.

Hyderabad-Karnatak: JDS recedes, Congress leaps ahead of JDS.

Bombay-Karnatak: BJP expands lead over Congress.

Central Karnataka: Congress ahead of BJP in triangular race.

Coastal Karnataka: Congress overtaking BJP in two-horse race.

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MOST PREFERRED CHOICE FOR NEXT CHIEF MINISTER

B.S. Yediyurappa: 27 per cent

H.D. Kumaraswamy: 22 per cent

S.M. Krishna: 16 per cent

Mallikarjuna Kharge: 5 per cent

Dharam Singh: 4 per cent

Siddaramaiah: 3 per cent

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BEST CHIEF MINISTER IN LAST 10 YEARS

H.D. Kumaraswamy: 35 per cent

S.M. Krishna: 24 per cent

Dharam Singh: 14 per cent

B.S. Yediyurappa: 9 per cent

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WILL BJP BENEFIT FROM A SYMPATHY WAVE?

24 per cent say BJP unfairly denied right to form government

35 per cent JDS unjustified in withdrawing support to BJP

23 per cent say BJP was not fit to run the government

39 per cent don't know/ cant say

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MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES IN ELECTIONS

Lack of basic facilities, infrastructure: 38 per cent

Farmers' condition: 21 per cent

Instability of government: 11 per cent

Corruption: 8 per cent

Other issues: 10 per cent

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HOW THE MAJOR COMMUNITIES ARE VOTING

Upper social bloc: Congress 34 per cent, BJP 33 per cent, JDS 31 per cent

Lower social bloc: Congress 54 per cent, BJP 18 per cent, JDS 18 per cent

35 per cent Vokakaligas support Congress, 18 per cent Vokkaligas support BJP

51 per cent Linagyats support BJP

Also read: One state, three parties, five regions. Result?

CHURUMURI POLL: Who will win State elections?

This year the teachers were Noelle Gray, Jerone Gagliano, Shawn Hershey, Amanda Gruhl, Marc-Andre Vachon, Ben Oaks-Lee, Dianne Eramo, Nicole Zuckerman, and myself.  The goal (other than to teach) is to provide the teachers with a group format to work on and present material to a class and receive feedback from their peers on their teaching method, class layout and material.  It was also the custom for teachers to participate in the classes enabling them to evaluate the material, but more importantly to provide individual instruction to those in rotation thus creating a stronger learning environment.

Very few events offer opportunities like this to regional teachers who want to improve their teaching skills without being thrust into a trial-by-fire weekend workshop.  The format provided time to come back after each day of classes and have a discussion on what worked and what could use improvement for each class; sunday also included commentary on what could be done to improve the event itself for the following year.

For my experience, I had the pleasure of teaching a showmanship class with Dianne.  It went better than either of us anticipated, having never taught together or taught a class like it we had decidedly prepared more than we needed.

The class focused on the essentials of showmanship that need to be present whether you are dancing solo or with a partner.  We began with the statement (approximately): "the best dancers only have to walk"; and then proceeded to walk our class up and down the floor with different comments in mind for a good 45 minutes.  We included some basic jazz steps in our walks and finished off the class with a partnered step to showcase both walking with a partner and a shoe-shine.  All in all we received very positive feedback from our peers and will hopefully get to teach it somewhere else.

It felt good to teach again, especially such a conceptually oriented class.  I had forgotten the joys of seeing peoples' dancing and movement change in the course of a single class.  I look forward to my next opportunity to teach.