Only around a fifth of voters see a party's PM candidate as the most important factor determining who they vote for, according to a recent survey. The survey of over 2.5 lakh respondents across 525 constituencies was conducted by the Association for Democratic Reforms, and Daksh. 
38.66% of voters saw the candidate as the most important factor determining who they should vote for, while around a quarter saw the candidate's party as the most important factor. The candidate's caste or religion was considered the most important factor by 14.58% of respondents. 7.5% of respondents told the survey that distribution of money and gifts was the factor which determined their choice.

However, this overall national pattern sees sharp variations across states and between rural and urban areas. The charts and maps below break this down.
The candidate was considered the most important factor, to a greater extent in the northern states...

Respondents in West Bengal and Gujarat saw caste or religion as the most important factor, to a greater extent than in other states, while the distribution of money and gifts was seen as more important in states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, the south, and West Bengal.

The candidate's party, as well as their choice for PM was considered most important in Maharashtra, to a greater extent than in other states...

The pattern of preferences was sharply divergent across metro cities and other areas...

Graphics and Analysis by gramener.com

Data source: Daksh/ADR survey of voter preferences