The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance may win over 265 seats in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election, followed by the Congress and its allies at 196 plus, according to an opinion poll conducted for Zee News by Taleem.

The pre-poll survey was conducted through "stratified random sampling technique" and it covered 65 parliamentary constituencies across the country. Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep were, however, not covered in the survey.

Taleem is an institute of social scientists engaged in psephology for some years now.

The survey said Atal Bihari Vajpayee is still the first choice for the prime minister's post with 51 per cent of the sample favouring him, followed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi at 28 per cent.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, Samajwadi Party president and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad Yadav were way behind at only two per cent each.

A press release issued by the channel said 73 per cent of the people surveyed had not heard of the 'feel good' campaign, though 45 per cent felt the NDA would return to power.

On Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani's 'Bharat Uday Yatra', only 19 per cent of the people interviewed felt it would benefit the BJP and the NDA.

Over 43 per cent of those surveyed felt the NDA's improved under Vajpayee's leadership.