Opinion polls in India capture electoral snapshots in time that divulge information on political participation, ideological orientation of voters and belief in core democratic values. The survey data provides for crucial social science insights, validation of theoretical research and academic knowledge production. Although the media’s obsession with political forecasting has shifted to electoral prophecy, psephology continues to provide the best telescopic view of elections based on the feedback of citizens. The ascertainment of subaltern opinion by surveys not only broadens the contours of understanding electoral democracy, but also provides an empirical alternative to the elitist viewpoint of competitive politics in India.