As the high-stakes polling is taking place on Monday, which is set to decide the fate of Telugu Desam Party led by N Chandrababu Naidu and YSR Congress party led by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy in Andhra Pradesh, tension is mounting among the punters who bet huge money on the outcome of the elections.
According to unofficial estimates, more than Rs 5,000 crore has been bet on who would form the next government in Andhra Pradesh – whether Jagan will return to power for the second successive term or Naidu will bounce back to power after a gap of five years.
“The stakes are high on Naidu, who is struggling a lot to come to power. If he comes back to power, it will fetch huge money for the punters. If Jagan comes back to power, the risk will be less,” sources said.
Apart from the overall outcome of the elections is the major subject of betting, the punters have also been betting on certain key constituencies like – Kuppam, Mangalagiri, Pithapuram, Undi, Viskahapatnam and Vijayawada parliamentary constituencies.
Even in Kadapa parliamentary constituency, big money is at stake as there is said to be a stiff fight between YSRCP candidate Y S Avinash Reddy and Jagan’s own sister Y Sharmila, contesting on the Congress ticket.
According to sources, betting stakes, in the range of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, are allegedly being placed on various factors such as poll results of Pawan Kalyan in Pithapuram segment or over Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s majority in Pulivendula segment.
Besides, punters have invested big money to bet on th winning chances of Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani) from Gudivada, Vellampalli Srinivasa Rao and Bonda Umamaheshwara Rao from Vijayawada Central and others, besides brothers Kesineni Srinivas and Kesineni Sivanath from Vijayawada Lok Sabha segments.
Interestingly, the aqua traders, businessmen and NRIs belonging to Godavari districts reportedly placing high-stake bets on the poll result of Bhimavaram, Amalapuram, Narsapuram, Undi, Kakinada, Achanta, Tadepalligudem, Tanuku, Vizag, Tekkali, and Rajamahendravaram.
It remains to be seen how much money will change hands at the end of the day of polling on Monday.
