Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's centrist Kadima party would win the March 28 general elections even without Sharon who is now in deep sedation after suffering a massive stroke, according to a poll published on Friday.

If the elections were held on Thursday and Kadima headed by acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, the party would win 40 seats of the 120-member Knesset (Parliament), said the poll conducted by Dr. Camil Fuchs's polling company Dialog.

It also showed that the center-left Labor party would win 18 seats while center-right Likud would win only 13 seats in the Knesset.

The poll, which was published by local newspaper Ha'aretz and Channel 10 TV, showed that if Vice Premier Shimon Peres were to take over the leadership of the party, Kadima would win 42 seats -- exactly the number of seats it would have garnered four days ago when Sharon was still healthy.

The poll, based on interviews with 650 people, was conducted less than one day after Sharon suffered a severe stroke on Wednesday night.

Sharon, 77, has been in deep coma on Friday after two surgeries which have staunched his cerebral bleeding.

However, doctors said that Sharon is unlikely to be able to resume his government responsibilities.

Ha'aretz said that the impact of the poll is limited since it was conducted in the eye of the storm and at the height of uncertainty when the public was awash in sympathy for Sharon who is fighting for his life.

Most senior Kadima members on Thursday night announced their support for Olmert.

A senior Kadima figure said on Thursday that the party must choose Olmert within one week to be the leader.

According to the Kadima member, it will become clear in the coming weeks if Kadima's widespread support was only for Sharon's leadership or also due to the real public need for a centrist party that will lead "responsible, wise, well-considered policy."

Kadima was founded by Sharon in November 2005 after he left Likud to win a freer hand in carrying out his policies on the Palestinians after the successful Gaza pullout in September 2005.

Source: Xinhua