Post Karnataka polls, betting market gets active; police are on alert

MANGALURU: The numbers game is on, and after the exit polls gave an edge to the Congress, the political parties are engaged in post-election calculations, based on booth-level data analysis. Amidst this, several enthusiasts have taken to social media to predict the number of seats each party will win. Insiders from key political parties have informed that betting like always is high, especially in the name of key candidates across the state. The illegal betting market in the state runs into crores of rupees, said sources.
The betting markets have predicted a win for the Congress and some continue to indicate a hung assembly in the state. It is learnt that the popular bets are on if the BJP will get 110 seats or not or if Congress will cross 100 seats. Sources from the BJP said that the betting market predicting and creating a hype for the Congress, is for personal gain. If the BJP wins, it would only make the punters richer, a source said.

While betting on the names of key candidates across the state is on, it is interesting to note that betting is high in the name of the independent candidate from Puttur constituency, Arun Kumar Puthila. “Stakes on Puthila are high, and calculations are even on the number of votes he is going to win. People have gone to the extent of betting that Puthila will get at least one vote more than the BJP’s official candidate. Puthila is trending, and punters are also betting, saying that he may not cross 20,000 votes,” said a source.
The other favourite candidates are from Mangaluru City South, Bantwal, Belthangady and Moodbidri. Meanwhile, in Udupi, minister Sunil Kumar, who contested from Karkala, is also a favourite, and a neck-to-neck contest with Muniyal Uday Kumar Shetty of the Congress is expected.
City police commissioner Kuldeep Kumar R Jain said, “We are keeping a strict vigil through checkposts and collecting intelligence inputs. If anything of such comes up, we will take action. So far there have been no cases. We are definitely keeping an eye.’’