TAURAPPA LAMANI

VASCO: While political fortunes of candidates and parties will be decided at the assembly polls, fortunes of a different kind are already being encashed in the State.

Punters at the ‘Satta bazar’ (gambling dens) in the port town have begun gambling on the fortunes of candidates contesting the assembly polls.

Though the amount varies among candidates, parties and constituencies, the stakes are higher in “high risk” areas, where heavyweight candidates have staked their claim to the party ticket.

Punters have already begun betting on four main stakes- candidates to win party tickets, candidates to win elections, the party to form the government and the Congress chief ministerial candidate.

Money is already being placed on predicting the ticket aspirants for Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates in Fatorda, Mormugao, Vasco and Canacona constituencies.

Betting on the fortunes of candidates in Vasco.

For a change, the stakes are being decided by local punters.

“In cricket, the entire operation is carried out by the betting syndicate outside India. But local punters decide the stakes during state elections, bull fights and other local gambling clubs,” informed a local punter, who runs a gambling club in Vasco.

At present, stakes are high on the possible Congress candidate for Fatorda constituency. While most are betting on Vijay Sardessai, some others are placing their money on Pratima Coutinho’s chances to secure the party ticket.

Punters are also betting on whether the Muslim community will get the Congress ticket.

Reports that Goa Pradesh Congress Minority Department Chairman Saifullah Khan is staking his claim to the Congress ticket from Mormugao has angered supporters of Congress leader Sankalp Amonkar.

“I’m ready to bet more than Rs 10 lakhs with Khan’s supporters that he will not get the Congress ticket. While Khan claims to be in the forefront, his supporters are not willing to bet with me,” said Mukandi Passi, a staunch supporter of Amonkar.

Bets are also being placed on the candidate to secure the BJP ticket in Vasco constituency.

With Bahujan leader Shripad Naik backing Manesh Arolkar and former Mormugao legislator,  Karl Vaz coming into the picture at the last moment, it has complicated the chances of Carlos Almeida.

“Carlos is still a favourite merely because of support from religious leaders and industrialist Narayan Bandekar,” said a punter.

Punters are sailing on the anti-Congress wave and have predicted that the BJP could come into power with the support of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).

HERALD GOA NEWS

Share

Tweet