Sharon's Kadima party holds firm in polls

Ariel Sharon’s new centrist Kadima party would still win a March 28 election, despite the massive stroke that has incapacitated the prime minister, according to an opinion poll published today.

A Dahaf poll published in the Yediot Ahronot daily newspaper found that if headed by acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Kadima would win 39 of 120 parliament seats. The dovish Labour Party remained steady at 20 seats, and the hard-line Likud, headed by former Prime Benjamin Netanyahu, remained third with 16 seats.