Of betting and token system in Munugode

Bets range from Rs 5,000 to Rs 1 lakh while tokens for free liquor and food are reportedly being given to voters

Nalgonda: Even as political parties are engaged in a fiery campaign, trading charges and counter charges ahead of the Munugode bypoll slated for November 3, youngsters and some local political party workers are busy in another activity, a quite lucrative one at that.

Betting on the possible results of the bypoll is reportedly going on in the constituency. The bets range from Rs 5,000 to Rs 1 lakh, local party leaders say.

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At Sansthan Narayanpur, a local youngster was seen asking a media personnel, who had stopped at a tea stall, on the winning chances of the candidates of the BJP and the TRS. He said that betting was rampant and that he wanted to put his money on the candidate who had more winning chances.

Since the media would generally know the situation, he had asked the journalist, who however avoided an answer and instead told the youngster that betting was illegal. It is said that even some persons from Andhra Pradesh had reached the constituency to make some money in the betting. They were moving around the camp offices of different candidates and watching the campaigns to get a hold of the trend before placing their money.

Some local party workers on Tuesday had caught an unknown person, who was seen moving around BJP candidate Rajgopal Reddy’s camp office at Munugode and on being questioned, he said he was from Andhra Pradesh and had come just to see the campaign here.

Aasara Pensions a crucial factor

On the other hand, opposition parties are said to be slowly avoiding inviting elderly and physically challenged persons, who are getting Aasara pensions, to the lunch and refreshment parties being hosted by different parties. This is because the Aasara pensioners are being considered a strong vote bank for the TRS.

In fact, an elderly pensioner at Koratalikal in Munugode mandal, said opposition parties had not contacted him even once asking for votes. This was they believed that Aasara pensioners would vote only for the TRS, since it was the K Chandrashekhar Rao-government that hiked their pensions from the meager Rs 200 in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh to Rs.2,016 now.

The ruling party, however, was still in touch with pensioners and campaigning among them as well.

Token system

In another pre-poll scene, some persons have said a couple of political parties have introduced a token system which are to be given at select wine shops and hotels. Refusing to name the parties, one ‘beneficiary’ said a white token was meant for one person, while a green token would get food or liquor for three persons and the red token, for five persons.