It is common practice in Andhra Pradesh to hype up specific narratives just before elections.
Most of the time, these narratives are created by a section of the media allegedly colluding with those involved in betting. Betting on election results is big business in Andhra Pradesh.
In the state's Krishna, Guntur, and Godavari districts, hundreds of crores of rupees are wagered during election periods.
This time, there is increased speculation about the ministerial positions of various leaders, particularly Pawan Kalyan.
Even though it is unclear whether the TDP-Jana Sena-BJP alliance will win power, the betting mafia is pushing the narrative that Pawan Kalyan will become the state's Home Minister. Bets are being placed both in favor of and against him getting this job.
Reports suggest that a dominant community in the Godavari districts is betting heavily on Pawan Kalyan becoming the Home Minister.
However, past history shows that the betting mafia often promotes one theory for its own benefit, and the actual outcome is usually different.
