New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS): Congress scion Rahul Gandhi will trounce Prime Minister Narendra Modi if Kerala and Tamil Nadu had a chance to elect the Prime Minister directly.

As per the IANS C-Voter opinion poll wave 2, Rahul is leading Modi in the popularity contest in these two key south Indian states.

To a question in the survey, "If you are given a chance to directly elect the Prime Minister of India, whom would you prefer to elect between Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi as the PM of India?", 57.92 per cent in Kerala and 43.46 per cent in Tamil Nadu preferred Rahul over Modi.

Modi was preferred by 36.19 per cent in Kerala and 28.16 per cent in Tamil Nadu lagging Rahul by a wide margin in these two states. Of the other three states going to the polls, Modi is way ahead with 54.13 per cent in West Bengal, 47.8 per cent in Assam and 45.54 per cent in Puducherry.

Modi is trailing Rahul by 21.73 per cent in Kerala and 15.3 per cent in Tamil Nadu while he is leading by 24.63 per cent in Assam, 22.93 per cent in West Bengal and 12.72 per cent in Puducherry.