JAIPUR: Phalodi, a small Rajasthan town that is home to the famous betting market, predicts a clear victory for the BJP in the ongoing West Bengal polls, giving it 150-160 seats in the 294-member Assembly while giving the ruling Trinamool Congress only 100-110 seats.
The small town has come alive against the backdrop of the ongoing Assembly polls in five states. While the bets for the Bengal polls are in full swing, the sessions for other states, namely Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Assam and the Union Territory of Puducherry are yet to start, said punters engaged in a number game here.
Speaking to IANS on the condition of anonymity, a bookie from the town asserted: "The BJP continues to be a favourite of bookies this election season and it will get around 150-160 seats in Bengal. Didi (Mamata Bannerjee) is headed for a defeat and there are chances that the BJP will form the government with an alliance."
The trends, however, are showing small changes daily, he added.
Another punter told to IANS that the rate on Monday in the Phalodi betting market went in the favour of 153 seats -- a slim majority -- for the BJP.
However, the market says that this is not the final figure presently as it will depend on trends appearing in the next rounds of polling.
Four days back, the BJP stood on a figure of 128 seats, however, thereafter, sentiments have gone stronger in favour of it, he added.
Overall, the Phalodi market says that the BJP will form a government in the state, but there can be chances that it might need alliance for this goal, he added.
Punters said that Trinamool Congress will get 100-110 seats while other parties including Congress-Left, AIMIM etc will altogether secure 30 seats.
Didi will herself lose the polls in Nandigram to her former lieutenant Suvendu Adhikari, the punters say, but note that bets on this have not yet started.