Punters put their money on AAP in Punjab

Arun Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ropar, February 7

Amid speculation in political circles as well as psephologists over the maximum chances of a party's forming government in Punjab after the Assembly poll results are out on March 11, ‘satta’ market is betting on the new entrant, Aam Adami Party (AAP).

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) 

Majority of punters in the state as well as other parts of country are putting their money on stake claiming that the AAP would get 62 seats. Many others are even giving 64 seats to the new entrant, said an insider. According to punters’ preference, “the ruling SAD-BJP alliance will be reduced to a maximum of 8 seats”.

Interestingly, on February 3, a day before voting, bookies had been claiming a hung Assembly considering that the AAP and Congress would get around 50 seats each.

Sources in the ‘satta’ market said now punters were expecting AAP to get at least 45 seats from the Malwa region despite support to the Shiromani Akali Dal announced by Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

Besides, the party was likely to get between eight and 10 seats each in Majha and Doaba, sources claimed.

The punters are betting on 41-43 seats for the Congress. Two seats could be won by Independent candidates, they say. 

If any party has to form government in the state, it needs to have the simple majority of 59 seats in the 117-member Assembly.