JAGATSINGHPUR: With only a few days left for election results, betting and satta (speculation) market has started predicting the fate of the electoral battle.
Of the four Assembly seats in the district, bookies predicted that Congress candidates will win both Paradip and Jagatsinghpur Assembly segments while BJP will win in Tirtol and BJD in Balikuda-Erasama seat. The betting market expects that there is 50-50 chance for both BJD and BJP in Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seat. However, there is no hope for Congress to win the Lok Sabha seat, said a bookie.
Sources said betting during this period is a general trend in the district and bookies indulge in betting involving huge amounts. Hundreds of betting dens are reportedly running in four Assembly segments in the district.
Political observers said low polling percentage in the district will favour the BJD. The district has recorded 74.18 per cent voters’ turnout in 2019 against 75.54 per cent in 2014 elections. Low polling has been a cause of worry for the Opposition Congress and BJP.
An Independent candidate from Paradip Assembly constituency Sriballava Kar said, “I do not believe in speculation by the betting market. Genuine candidates are not getting votes due to influence of liquor and money provided by major political parties.”
Meanwhile, the district administration has made elaborate arrangements for counting of votes to be conducted at SVM College here on May 23. The administration has installed 26 ACs and two transformers in the college for uninterrupted power supply during the counting of votes. The results will be declared on the same day.