The betting fever seemingly adds to the election heat in West Godavari district. The election turns out to be a high-staked gambling in the district which earns notoriety for betting over cockfights during the Sankranti festival and cricket matches. It is common that the betting takes place in the district during intermission up to the results after the polling. Now it gripped the district right in the run up to the polling, according to reports.
The election in the Narsapur Lok Sabha constituency, Bhimavaram, Achanta, Narsapur and Palacol Assembly segments attracts bettors, it is said. The YSRC supporters are said to be bullish in the delta region while their TDP counterparts are in an upbeat mood in the upland area in claiming the stakes.
“The trend of betting was once limited to Bhimavaram and the surrounding delta areas alone. Now the malady is spreading to the upland and the Agency areas also,” says B. Balaram, secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Rytu Sangham while attributing it to migrations from delta parts.
Narsapur DSP Raghuveera Reddy admitted that there was a talk of betting. But the police could not simply act on heresy without a complaint, he added.
