New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has won an online reader's poll for "TIME Person of the Year" beating world leaders such as outgoing US President Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Julian Assange among others. These close contenders of Mr Modi received 7 percent votes while the Prime Minister won with 18 percent votes. He was also placed far ahead of other prominent figures of this year -- Mark Zuckerberg (2 percent) and Hillary Clinton (4 percent). It is for the second time that Mr Modi has won the online readers' poll.
Earlier in 2014, he had received more than 16 percent votes when almost five million votes were cast. In recent months, the Prime Minister saw high approval ratings from Indians, according to a September poll review as he ratified the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Mr Modi has come under scrutiny recently for demonetisation move impacting cash-based businesses and threatening India’s economy.
Current poll results found that preferences vary across the world and the United States. Modi's performance was applauded amongst Indian voters as well as those in California and New Jersey in the US. Among the contenders this year are former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, FBI Chief James Comey, Apple CEO Tim Cook, parents of slain Muslim-American soldier Humanyun Khan, Khizr and Ghazala Khan, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, British Prime Minister Theresa May and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Time had also analysed the moments from 2016 when this year's poll contenders were most talked about. For Modi it was October 16 when the Indian leader had suggested during a summit of BRICS nations in Goa that Pakistan is the "mothership" for terrorism. TIME’S Person of the Year will be declared on December 7. (UNI)