And the best CM award goes to

New Delhi: In the run-up to the Independence Day, CNN-IBN and Centre for Studies of Developing Societies (CSDS) bring the results an exclusive opinion poll and find answers to a host of political issues in the country.

The exhaustive poll conducted across 19 states with over 14,000 samples covering a large section of rural India tried to answer a few questions including who is the most popular chief minister in the country? Orissa’s Naveen Patnaik, Gujarat’s Narendra Modi, Bihar’s Nitish Kumar or Delhi’s Sheila Dikshit?

The poll results threw up a few surprises. While some Chief Ministers have held their ground, there are a few new ones in the top eight.

Recently elected V S Achutanandan of Kerala stands at Number 8 while Andhra Pradesh CM Y S Rajasekhara Reddy who stood at the fifth spot in January has now slipped to Number 7.

Gujarat CM Narendra Modi retains his position at Number 6 and Assam's Tarun Gogoi has moved up two notches up from Number 7 in Januray 2006, to Number 5 now.

The Grand old man of Tamil Nadu who made a grand comeback earlier this year is ranked Number 4.

The Left's poster boy, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who was Number 2 last time has now slipped to the third position.

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik stood at Number 4 in our last survey, but has now moved to the second spot while Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was Number 1 after being elected in November last year, and the honeymoon period continues for him - he is still at Number 1.

(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)