Stakes high on grand-old-party; BJP less favourite, JD(S) next

Mysore/Mysuru: With a day left for the counting of votes tomorrow (May 13), punters are busy placing bets with Congress being the hot favourite, especially after majority of exit polls predicted the return of grand-old-party to power in the State, followed by BJP being less favourite and Janata Dal (Secular) least favourite.

As the TV channels started flashing the survey reports of various agencies, the punters at satta bazaar also feel that Congress will either emerge as a single largest party or will get a simple majority. While BJP will end up winning 70 and odd seats and JD (S) will secure less than 30 seats.

Even before the election, some had started to place bets with most veering towards Congress and placing high stakes, especially when it comes to high-voltage Constituencies like Varuna in Mysuru district, where former Chief Minister Siddharamaiah is facing a tough fight from Housing Minister V. Somanna of BJP.

Channapatna in Ramanagara district is yet another such Constituency, where former Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy of JD(S) and former Minister C.P. Yogeeshwar of BJP is locked in a straight fight.

The betting has intensified in the run up to the counting, with even rural folks vying with punters in urban areas, showing nobody is behind when it comes to making some windfall. Apart from cash, some of the villagers have even staked their livestock and agricultural fields.

How bets are placed?

If a person bets on Congress giving the numbers (of seats) 112 to 130 and reflects in the actual results, the bookie has to return double the amount. If BJP wins 100 seats, the bookies offer to pay at the rate of 1:3, means for the betting amount of Rs. 1,000, the winner will pocket Rs. 4,000.

The punters feel that JD(S) may bag 25 to 30 seats. If one places a bet of Rs. 1,000 and the regional party wins more than 30 seats, they are going to get Rs. 3,500 in return, if their prediction comes true.

Likewise, the bets are placed as per bookies offer, with the numbers varying with each betting operator. The betting racket which had fallen silent, picked up pace with the announcement of elections in the fag end of March. Since then, it gained momentum and is expected to go up further till the announcement of results.

The outcome may make or mar the prospects of not just candidates in the fray, but also the punters and bookies who are also waiting with a bated breath for the D-day of counting. Till then, it is better to apply a wait-and-watch policy.