US President Donald Trump’s approval rating remained close to its lowest level ahead of Tuesday’s congressional midterm elections, with a nationwide poll indicating that a significant section of American voters viewed their ballots as an opportunity to express opposition to the Republican leader.

According to the latest poll completed on Monday, November 2, only 32% of respondents approved of the job Trump was doing as President. The figure was unchanged from the previous week and just one percentage point above his record-low reading of 31%, recorded two weeks earlier.

The findings come as Republicans seek to retain their majorities in Congress, with all 435 seats in the House of Representatives up for grabs and several closely contested races expected to shape the Senate.

Although Trump himself is not on the ballot, his presidency has emerged as a significant factor in the midterm elections.

Democrats lead Republicans in nationwide congressional preference

The poll found that Democrats held an eight-percentage-point advantage over Republicans when respondents were asked which party they preferred to see in charge of Congress.

Around 46% of respondents favoured Democrats, compared with 38% who preferred Republicans.

However, the Democratic lead was narrower than the 11-percentage-point advantage recorded in a similar poll conducted a week earlier.

The so-called generic ballot question provides an overall indication of voters’ preferences between the two parties for control of Congress. However, it does not account for differences between individual states and congressional districts, which ultimately determine the composition of the House and Senate.

Political strategists from both parties believe Democrats have a stronger opportunity to take control of the House of Representatives. Their prospects in the Senate are considered more difficult, with the party facing challenges in states including Alaska and Michigan.

Half of independent voters see their vote as opposition to Trump

The survey also highlighted the extent to which Trump is influencing voters’ decisions despite not contesting the election himself.

Among registered independent voters, 50% said they viewed their congressional vote as a vote against Trump.

In comparison, 13% said their vote was in support of the President, while 33% said Trump was not a factor in their voting decision.

These findings indicate that voters’ views of the President are an important consideration for a section of the electorate heading into the congressional elections.

Rising cost of living emerges as a major election issue

Economic concerns, particularly the rising cost of living, featured prominently in the poll.

Around 78% of respondents said the cost of living would be either a very important or the most important issue in determining their voting decisions.

When asked which party was better equipped to handle the issue, 43% chose Democrats, compared with 32% who favoured Republicans.

The poll also pointed to concerns over rising fuel prices following the US military campaign against Iran, which began in February.

The increase in fuel prices has added to the economic challenges facing the Trump administration ahead of the elections.

Democrats report greater enthusiasm about voting

The survey also found a difference in voting enthusiasm between supporters of the two major political parties.

Around 49% of Democratic voters said they were very enthusiastic about voting in the midterm elections.

Among Republican voters, the corresponding figure stood at 33%.

The difference in enthusiasm is an important factor for both parties as they seek to mobilise their supporters and secure votes across the country.

The latest poll surveyed 1,765 US adults online and had a margin of error of two percentage points.

Delhi’s air quality deteriorated further on Tuesday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) climbing to 348 in the ‘very poor’ category. The contribution of stubble burning to the national capital’s PM2.5 pollution is also expected to increase over the next three days, potentially crossing 22% by November 5, according to a forecast.

The city’s AQI stood at 324 on November 2, compared with 261 on November 1, indicating a continuous deterioration in air quality over the two days.

According to the Decision Support System (DSS) for air quality management in Delhi, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, stubble burning contributed 8.583% to the city’s PM2.5 concentration on November 2. This share was forecast to rise to 15.301% on November 3.

The contribution is expected to increase further to 20.057% on November 4 and 22.207% on November 5, the forecast showed.

Punjab records highest number of farm fires

The rising contribution comes amid continued detection of agricultural residue-burning incidents across neighbouring states.

Satellite data detected 219 paddy residue-burning incidents across the monitored states on November 2. Punjab recorded the highest number at 98, followed by Rajasthan with 67 and Madhya Pradesh with 48.

Uttar Pradesh reported four incidents, while Haryana recorded two. No residue-burning incidents were detected in Delhi or Uttarakhand on the day, according to the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space (CREAMS) Lab at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI).

The DSS forecast for the next three days is based on climatological data relating to fire counts and emissions.

Over 3,500 farm fires detected this season

A total of 3,535 farm-fire incidents were detected between September 15 and November 2 this year.

Punjab accounted for the largest share, with 1,612 incidents. Rajasthan followed with 738, while Madhya Pradesh recorded 614.

The remaining incidents included 349 in Uttar Pradesh, 176 in Uttarakhand, 44 in Haryana and two in Delhi.

However, the overall number of detected farm fires has declined considerably compared with previous years.

During the corresponding period in 2020, 51,822 incidents were recorded across the states and regions covered by the bulletin. The figure declined to 24,583 in 2021 and stood at 26,490 in 2022.

It subsequently fell to 18,991 in 2023, 9,668 in 2024 and 4,993 in 2025.

Punjab and Haryana see fewer farm fires than last year

Punjab, which has recorded the highest number of farm fires this season, reported 1,612 incidents until November 2, compared with 2,262 during the corresponding period last year. In 2020, the state had recorded 41,176 incidents during the same period.

Haryana also witnessed a decline, with 44 incidents this season against 122 in 2025 and 2,606 in 2020.

The figures have been compiled using satellite remote sensing under the standard protocol for estimating crop residue-burning incidents.

The stubble-burning season runs from September 15 to November 30. Delhi recorded its first farm-fire incident of the current season on September 19, followed by another on October 24.

While the forecast indicates that stubble burning could account for a larger share of Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution in the coming days, the city’s overall air quality is influenced by several sources. The contribution of farm fires also varies depending on prevailing weather and wind conditions.

A fresh political confrontation has erupted between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of becoming and remaining in power with foreign assistance.

Gandhi also challenged the Prime Minister to an open debate on the issue, saying he was ready to face him on any platform and at any time.

The BJP responded by bringing up an old video of Gandhi from his visit to the United Kingdom, reviving the controversy surrounding his remarks about India’s democratic institutions and the role of foreign countries.

What Rahul Gandhi said about PM Modi

Gandhi’s remarks came in response to Modi’s recent comments targeting the Opposition during his address at the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations in Gujarat on October 31.

In a post on X on Monday, Gandhi accused the Prime Minister of relying on foreign support to attain and retain power.

“Mr Modi, stop lying to this nation. You became PM because of foreign help. You remain PM because of foreign help,” Gandhi wrote.

He further alleged that India’s financial system was fully controlled and supported by foreign entities and claimed that foreign social media platforms backed the Prime Minister.

The Congress leader also challenged Modi to discuss the allegations publicly.

“I challenge you to an open debate about this. Any stage, any time. Come if you have the guts,” he said, adding that the Prime Minister would not accept the challenge because of what Gandhi claimed to know about him.

Why PM Modi criticised the Opposition

Gandhi’s response followed Modi’s address at the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas event in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, marking the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

During his speech, the Prime Minister accused the Opposition of moving away from its democratic responsibility of questioning the government and instead becoming an obstructionist force.

Modi described the Opposition as an “Avrodh Paksh” rather than a “Virodh Paksh”, alleging that it was creating obstacles to the country’s development.

Without directly naming Gandhi, the Prime Minister also raised questions about the foreign visits of certain political leaders and their alleged connections with forces opposed to India.

“Who is secretly meeting whom abroad? Whom are the anti-India forces supporting? Who is speaking the language of India’s enemies?” Modi asked.

He also expressed concern over the use of social media to spread rumours and attempts to damage India’s image.

BJP brings back Rahul Gandhi’s old UK remarks

The BJP responded to Gandhi’s allegations by sharing an old video from his UK visit, bringing attention back to his earlier comments about India’s democratic institutions and the involvement of foreign countries.

During an interaction at Chatham House in London in March 2023, Gandhi had alleged that several Indian institutions, including the Press, judiciary, Parliament and Election Commission, were under threat.

He had also questioned why Europe and the United States were not doing enough to raise concerns about what he described as threats to democracy in India.

The remarks had triggered a political controversy at the time, with the BJP accusing Gandhi of seeking foreign intervention in India’s internal affairs.

BJP leaders had demanded an apology from the Congress leader over his comments during the UK visit.

The resurfacing of the old video has brought those earlier remarks back into the political debate as the Congress and BJP trade accusations over alleged foreign backing.

Political confrontation intensifies

The latest exchange comes amid an ongoing confrontation between the ruling BJP and the Opposition over several issues, including allegations of electoral irregularities and the role of constitutional institutions.

Gandhi’s challenge to Modi for an open debate has added another dimension to the political dispute, with both parties questioning each other’s alleged connections with foreign forces.

While Gandhi has accused the Prime Minister of benefiting from foreign support, the BJP has repeatedly questioned the Congress leader’s overseas remarks and alleged attempts to involve foreign countries in India’s internal political matters.

Neither side’s allegations about foreign backing should be treated as established facts without supporting evidence.