Bookies bet on Khar gym polls

All eyes are on Khar Gymkhana as it goes to  polls on Sunday. Though the gymkhana has a majority of Sindhis as its members amo-ng its 8,000 members, it also boasts of several high- profile members, including the likes of Aamir Khan, Ashu-tosh Gowarikar, Muke-sh Bhatt, Amitabh Bachhan and many others. CM Vilasrao Deshmukh’s sons — Riteish, Amit and Dhiraj — too figure on the hallowed list .

Business tycoon Sunder Sadhnani promises to empower the members with right to information if elected the next president. He is contesting the polls. It seems he has an edge over his rival contestant Tikam Kukreja.

According to sources, a group of local bookies has started accepting bets on the possibilities of Sadhnani with odds of 15 paise being offered against a rupee bet. Like wise, the bookmakers are offering odds of Rs 5 against every rupee bet on Sadhnani’s rival Tikam Kukreja. Sources say the boo-kies have shown interests for the first time in any gymkhana or club election.

Promising to work for getting more representatio-n for women in the gym-khana affairs, passing the benefits and profits to the members by way of subsidy and much more, Sadhnani has the backing of Manu Dadlani, who had been the gymkhana’s president eight times.

Dadlani Sadhnani says, “The gymkhana has of late become a breeding ground for corruption and dirty politics. The members’ welfare and priorities towards sports and other activities have been ignored. There have been lots of scandals and members just do not have a voice after the elections are over.”