Are expecting bets worth Rs 1,000 crore to be placed in the coming days on the next Maharashtra CM; bets were opened last night by Jaipur bookies, following a meeting in a suburban hotel
Though the mystery over the next chief minister remains unsolved for now, the bookies have already shortlisted their top five candidates and all from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
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Bookies claim that bets worth around Rs 1,000 crore are expected to be placed on who will become the next CM of Maharashtra in the coming days. Besides projecting BJP state unit chief Devendra Fadnavis as the front-runner for the CM’s post, bookies are also predicting a Shiv Sena-BJP alliance.
The other four CM candidates are Union Minister for Transport Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for I&B and Environment Prakash Javadekar, Parli MLA Pankaja Munde and BJP general secretary for the state, Vinod Tawde.
Sources added that in a closed-door meeting, bookies from the Jaipur circle opened bets for predicting the next CM. Betting rates were finalised during the meeting that took place in a posh suburban hotel last night.
Hot seat
While Fadnavis, considered as the most obvious choice, was rated at 70 paisa per rupee, Tawde was rated at R12 for being the unlikeliest candidate to become the CM. A bookie said, “Fadnavis is young, experienced and talented. PM Modi likes such people. Munde lacks experience and spark.”
Another agent added that bets worth anywhere between Rs 700 crore to Rs 1,000 crore were expected to be placed on the next CM before the official selection. “Besides, we predict a Sena-BJP alliance, followed by a swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday or Wednesday,” the bookie told this paper.