Bookies bet on saffron surge in WB polls

In the outgoing WB assembly, TMC has 211 members whereas the BJP has only three members. The Times Now-C Voter opinion poll has also predicted that the BJP will increase its tally by about 103 seats as it is expected to win 107 seats

Mumbai: Though unofficially, the Mumbai's Satta Bazar has tipped its bets in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the ongoing West Bengal State assembly polls.

The bookies from the Satta Bazar are predictinga BJP victory with seats anywhere between 191 and 199 seats whereas the Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is projected to win anywhere between 85 and 93 seats only.

In a recent election opinion poll conducted by Times Now-C Voter, it was predicted that Mamata Banerjee was all set to return as CM for the third consecutive term. The opinion polls predicted that the TMC will get a comfortable majority of 157 seats in the 294-member assembly of West Bengal. Any party will need at least 148 members to prove a simple majority in the WB State assembly. In the outgoing WB assembly, TMC has 211 members whereas the BJP has only three members. The Times Now-C Voter opinion poll has also predicted that the BJP will increase its tally by about 103 seats as it is expected to win 107 seats. Still, the BJP is likely to fall short of the majority mark. Going by the opinion polls, the ruling Trinamool Congress is expected to win around 146 to 162 seats.

That means the TMC will lose around 49 to 65 seats than the 2016 assembly polls. However, the bookies have different opinions on the election.

According to bookies, BJP will emerge as a single largest party in West Bengal and will form a stable government without taking support of any other political party.

Furthermore, Rajasthan's PhalodiSatta Bazar, considered as the most accurate in India, is also rooting for BJP to form the government in West Bengal. According to bookies, the TMC, which has currently got 214 members in the WB Assembly, could win seats somewhere between 85 and 93 this time, around 129 seats less than the existing presence in the lower house.The Congress and the Left combined will end up between 13 and 20 seats.

Punters' town Phalodi

Well, Phalodi is a small town in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan. Phalodi is the nerve centre of betting; especially election related betting in Rajasthan. The bookies in Phalodi are renowned for being accurate more often than not. The ongoing West Bengal assembly polls are being held in eight phases, which will conclude on April 29. The counting of votes and result will be declared on May 2.