(Image source from: Crutial factors in 2014 Lok Sabha polls})

With the announcement of the election schedule for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, it's time to look at the factors that will decide as to who will capture power in New Delhi. Several factors– corruption, price rise, inflation, reduced job opportunities - will be playing in the voters mind in this election year. However, the most important factors that will decide as to who will become India's next prime minister will be roughly dependent on the following aspects.

Modi Wave

BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is the most important factor in the next general election. If the BJP emerges as the single largest party in the 2014 elections the credit will go to Modi alone. He has been promising the Gujarat development model for the rest of the country.

The fact that Modi is the chief minister of Gujarat, which is among the strongest states economically in India, works in favour of the BJP leader. He has presided his state towards economic prosperity and has promished to bring similar development to the rest of india. This aspect may draw in a large number of voters towards Modi, especially the younger generation who are in the look-out for employment avenues.

Modi's popularity coupled with disenchantment with the Congress-led UPA may see the BJP emerge victorious at the centre.

Rahul Gandhi leading Congress

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has emerged as the leader of Congress party. Almost all opinion polls have suggested a rout of the Congress party. Going by the opinion polls, the next general elections could be the worst-ever performance of the Congress party. In fact, some opinion polls projected double digit tally for the Congress.

In such a scenario, the transition of leadership in the Congress party from Sonia Gandi to Rahul Gandhi would be difficult.

AAP as the X-factor

The battle for capturing power at the centre is no longer between the BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led UPA. There is the third factor, Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which might be the game changer. Kejriwal proved to be the game changer in the Delhi Assembly elections and went on to become the chief minister. Neither the Congress, nor the BJP had anticipated Kejriwal's popularity would convert into votes.

In the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections as well AAP is likely to play an important factor to decide as to which coalition will form government at the centre or the third front will dominate.

Social media

Social media will play an important role in wooing voters in the 2014 LS polls. Political parties are using social network sites like Facebook, Twitter and various apps to mobilize the votes of almost 149.5 million techsavvy voters.

Third Front

The third front is a coalition of powerful regional parties like Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC), Prakash Karat's CPM, M Karunanidhi's DMK, J Jayalalithaa's AIADMK, Mulayam Singh's Samajwadi Party and Mayawati's BSP. However, the problem with the third front is that it's leaders cannot sit together on the same table to agree on an issue.

In the 2009 LS elections, presence of the third front led to the floating votes going to the Congress tally. In this general elections, the third front is likely to benefit the BJP.

Spread over 36 days, polling for the formation of the 16th Lok Sabha will be complete in nine schedules from April 7 to May 12. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 16. Outcome of the polling will be revealed on May 16 or in a day or two after that.

(AW: Pratima Tigga)