Stakes run high in A.P. as Telangana goes to polls today

Stakes running high in AP: Betting on Telangana polls 1:2 in favour of Congress. Businessmen, politicians across parties have pitched bets. Betting groups formed days ahead of poll, bets put across social media. NRIs, software professionals outside India have put in money. Govt declared paid holiday for settlers to cast votes in Telangana.

With Telangana going to polls on Thursday, stakes are running in the neighbouring Telugu State of Andhra Pradesh.

Till late in the night, the stakes were pitched at 1:2, with one pitched in favour of K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi) and two in favour of the Congress.

The betting picked up from November 29 morning, and as per sources businessmen and even politicians across political parties, have pitched their bets.

The betting picked up, after Congress had started to gain ground in the State, over the last few days. From a one-sided battle in favour of BRS, it is now 50-50 chance, and Congress appears to have a slight edge.

This has set the dice rolling over the betting tables. Not only in the bordering towns, stakes were running high in cities such as Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry and in some rural areas of erstwhile districts such as Guntur, Krishna, East and West Godavari.

We have got reports that betting was high even in smaller districts such as Anakapalli and Srikakulam, in north Andhra region, said a police officer on the condition of anonymity.