The sudden jump in the number of candidates in the state assembly election following the split in the two major alliances, has multiplied the uncertainty of the result to such an extent that bookies believe it would be better they refrain from accepting bets on the outcome.
This time each of the major parties is contesting the election on its own, and as a consequence there will be about 6,500 candidates in the fray in the 288 constituencies. That's way above the 3,550 candidates who contested in the last election.
"We may not take bets for the Maharashtra assembly elections and this decision is unanimous among the top bookies," said a bookie on condition of anonymity. Polling will be held on October 15.
He said the big bookies met in Delhi a few days ago. "They felt that there is too much uncertainty over the outcome as all the parties are fielding candidates in almost all the seats, so it would be better to refrain from taking bets," he said.
Bookies were looking at business of about Rs10,000 crore in the assembly elections, so they were watching the developments closely. They would have been quite disappointed when both the major alliances split.
"On September 25, we were to finalize the rates of bets. But the same day both the Shiv Sena-BJP and the Congress-NCP broke their alliances chainging the entire political scenario for the elections in Maharashtra," said another bookie.
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena is the fifth major party that is also putting up candidates from most of the constituencies.
Explaining the basis for the heightened uncertainty, a bookie said, "With the major parties pitted against each other the wining margin is likely to be quite small. Before the alliances broke up, we were certain about some constituencies where candidates of the separate alliances would win. Not any longer, as each party is pulling down the other."
Still, some say there is a possibility that some bookies may risk taking bets at the local level.
Police sources say they are keeping an eye on certain bookies, tracking their calls, to ensure that there is no betting on the elections.
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