ELURU/KAKINADA: Who will win the election in neighbouring Telangana State? Will it be the TRS or Congress-led Maha Kutami? What will be the winning chances of TDP leaders in some of the Assembly constituencies in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts, particularly the seats contested by Nandamuri Suhasini, daughter of late Harikrishna? What are the possible winning margins of the main candidates? These are the key issues on which the punters are betting and the stakes are running into hundreds of crores, sources said.
The Telangana Assembly elections are much talked about in Andhra Pradesh. The punters had started betting on the possible winners ever since the poll process commenced there.
According to sources, the TRS was the favourite among the punters till the announcement of exit poll results. However, the scenario changed once former MP Lagadapati Rajagopal announced his exit polls results, who gave an edge to Maha Kutami.
“The ‘kosu pandem’ (betting) is now 80-120. It means those who bet `100 on TRS, will get `80 if the party wins. However, if Maha Kutami wins, those who put their stakes on it, will get `120 for every `100,’’ a betting organiser said.
Betting is also being held on the number of seats to be won by the two opponents in the elections. With the exit poll predictions giving a slender margin to both sides, the stakes are high on the number of seats that each party will win, the sources said.
Among the other issues on which the punters are betting, include victory chances of some of the TDP candidates such as Kukatpally (Nandamuri Suhasini), Serilingampally (Bhavya Anand Prasad) and Sanathnagar (Kuna Venkatesh Goud) for whom Chandrababu Naidu campaigned.
“These constituencies have a good number of voters hailing from AP and obviously the interest among the people from AP in the election results is high. Several businessmen and politicians, who are betting with us, are in constant touch with the political leaders (TDP leaders) who are camping in Hyderabad,” the sources said.
From West Godavari district alone, nearly seven people’s representatives are in Hyderabad. Apart from the seats in Hyderabad, a couple of seats in Khammam district bordering West Godavari like Aswaraopet and Sattupalli, are also attracting good stakes from punters. Kodangal is a key seat for punters, from where former TDP leader A Revanth Reddy is contesting.
The organisers or bookies are those who involve in cricket betting. “With no cricket, particularly IPL or T20 matches, betting on politics is now on,’’ one source said.
West Godavari SP Ravi Prakash said they have stepped up vigil on betting organisers.
Same is the situation in East Godavari. Betting is going on clandestinely in some star hotels and posh clubs.