KHAMMAM: Businessmen and realtors from Andhra Pradesh are betting crores of rupees on the Assembly election results, particularly on the outcome of seats in the erstwhile Khammam district. According to sources, punters are visiting all the constituencies to assess the strengths and weaknesses of political parties. The proximity of the erstwhile Khammam district to AP has fostered close relationships between the people of AP and those living in the district. K Sudharshan Rao, hailing from Eluru town in AP, expressed a keen interest in the elections in Telangana.
“We are very curious to know the results as we have bet crores on the victory of the BRS and the Congress candidates.” He says that a large number of people have bet heavily on the victory of the Congress, believing that the grand old party would form the government. Sudharshan estimates that the total amount being wagered on the poll results to be in the range of hundreds of crores.
N Ganesh, a resident of Tiruvur town in AP, said he has placed Rs 10 lakh on the victory of Congress candidate Thummala Nageswara Rao in Khammam. Observing a wave of support for the grand old party in Telangana, many businesspersons are betting on the Congress victory, said Miriyala Krishna from Visannapet in the neighboring State. He claimed that bets amounting to crores of rupees are being placed on the Khammam seat, considering the intense competition between two leaders from the Kamma community representing the BRS and the Congress.
During a roadshow in Khammam on Monday, Thummala Nageswara Rao said the people of Andhra Pradesh are more eager than those in Telangana to learn about the outcome in Khammam and Telangana. He also suggested that crores of rupees are involved in betting activities in Andhra Pradesh over the Telangana elections.