Washington (PTI): A substantial number of people in India and Pakistan have opined it did not really matter who is going to be the next President of the US, a new opinion poll has found, as White House hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain stepped up campaigning for the November 4 polls.

Huge majorities of citizens in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh expressed the view "don't know" when they were asked whom did they prefer as the next President of the US, or simply refused to give an answer.

A substantial number of people in India and Pakistan have opined in a Gallup poll that it did not really matter who is going to be sitting in the Oval Office next year.

Nearly three in four respondents in Bangladesh (73 per cent) and roughly 9 in 10 respondents in India (91 per cent) and Pakistan (91 per cent) did not have an opinion when asked if they would personally rather see Senator Barack Obama or Senator John McCain elected president according to a report posted on Gallup.

Similarly when asked if the outcome of the US election would make a difference to their country, majorities of these populations did not express an opinion.

Thirty-three per cent of Bangladeshis, but only 10 per cent of Pakistanis, and a mere 6 per cent of those in India have said it makes a difference to their country who is elected president. "Observers could assume that the US presidential election would be at the forefront of South Asians' minds in these countries because of the prominent roles that the United States plays in the region, including trading partner, ally, and provider of aid.

However, daily life in these countries does not afford most of their residents the luxury of closely following domestic political news of the United States" a the write-up in the Gallup said.