Assembly poll 2018: Satta Bazaar indicates Congress victory in MP

BHOPAL: Ahead of Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, Satta (speculation) market has also started predicting the fate of the upcoming electoral battle.

If the Satta Market that runs into crores in every assembly elections believes, the punters (Satoriyas) bets on Congress this poll season.

According to bookies, they are taking bets on number of seats and not on which party would form the government.

“In case no party gets absolute majority, or if the scoreline is too close,” explained a bookie. “We do not want to say which party will form the government. The bets are open. The satta market is running good this poll season, as it is a thrilling contest,” he added.

Bookies told Times Of India that the market is accepting bets on 116-plus seats for Congress and 102 or more for ruling BJP. “Anyone who bets successfully on BJP or Congress will double his money,” a bookie said.

The punters that also follow the pre-poll surveys not just placed the bets are over phone, but also on websites and apps making increasingly difficult for police to track down bookies and nab such gangs.

“Online betting can be operated even from a moving car, a café or any public place anywhere in the country. Those running the betting in Bhopal may be sitting anywhere on the globe,” said an officer.

For the last fifteen years, the BJP government led by Shivraj Singh Chouhan is ruling in Madhya Pradesh but is difficult to live this time as the saffron party is facing acute anti-incumbency over various issues including SC/ST Act, reservation in promotion and others. Conversely, Congress party has been shown gaining grounds and is looking to end its fifteen years of exile.