I/II. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/bihar-polls-grand-alliance-displaces-nda-in-satta-race-punters-give-nitish-lalu-127-129-seats-nda-110/articleshow/49603315.cms
Bihar polls: Grand Alliance displaces NDA in 'satta race'; punters give Nitish-Lalu 127-129 seats, NDA 110 By Raghav Ohri, ET Bureau | 31 Oct, 2015, 06.30AM IST NEW DELHI: India's vast but underground satta market, which sees heavy election betting, is as of now projecting the Bharatiya Janata Partyled NDA as falling short of a majority in Bihar and the Nitish Kumar-Lalu Prasad alliance getting a narrow majority. But the market is also saying it is waiting for the fourth phase of Bihar polls, slated for November 1, for another assessment. ET spoke to a number of big players in the satta market, who take bets and calculate the odds. They spoke on the condition they not be identified. For Bihar's 243-seat assembly, Friday's bets were being offered with a projected tally of 110 for BJP-led NDA, with BJP's own tally projected at 94. Congress Fortunes Remain Unchanged NDA falls short of a majority (122 seats) in this projection. And this is a sharp drop from the early-middle October projections by the satta market - a comfortable majority of 150 seats for NDA, and 108 for BJP. Correspondingly, projections for the Nitish-Lalu alliance have shifted from below 100 in October to 127-129 currently. Interestingly, the satta market is giving Lalu Prasad's RJD more weight in the overall alliance tally. The close contest that's Bihar polls has been reflected in the see-saw projections of the satta market. When bets were being taken first, BJP-led NDA were clear favourites. After the first two phases of Bihar polls, the satta market gave the Nitish-Lalu alliance 145 seats. But after the third phase, the satta market reckoned BJP has recovered some ground but not enough and it scaled down the alliance's seats to below 130, but still giving it a majority, albeit a narrow one. Market participants say the fourth phase of Bihar polls is crucial if odds are to change in favour of BJP. The fourth phase is scheduled for November 1. BJP leaders have said the party doesn't expect much from the fifth phase, on November 5. Results are to be announced on November 8. The party with pretty much unchanged fortunes in satta market projections is Congress - it started with projections in single digits and the satta market reckons it's still stuck there. II. http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/bihar-polls-now-grand-alliance-looks-to-dent-nda-in-phase-4/story-cizko2Kd58fdcLL7Hu9hxK.html Bihar polls: Now, grand alliance looks to dent NDA in phase 4 Avinash Kumar and Kumar Uttam, Hindustan Times, Patna | Updated: Oct 31, 2015 12:32 IST Congress president Sonia Gandhi with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad during the Swabhiman rally at Gandhi Maidan in Patna. (Santosh Kumar/HT File Photo) Bihar is set for the high-voltage fourth phase of polls on Sunday, critical for both the BJP-led NDA and the grand alliance of JD(U), RJD and Congress. This phase covers 55 seats across seven north-central and north-western districts, considered saffron strongholds where the BJP won 26 seats in 2010 when it had an alliance with the JD(U). This time, the party has the support of three Independent winners from the previous elections who are contesting on BJP tickets. Moreover, the NDA hopes to maintain the momentum that let it sweep 53 of 55 assembly segments in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Chief minister Nitish Kumar’s Mahagathbandhan or grand alliance is determined to not let the BJP a free run, although the RJD, contesting 26 seats, admits the region is not its traditional strong point. The Congress seeks to stage a comeback in the belt it lorded over till the 1990s, with party vice-president Rahul Gandhi having addressed three rallies. Read | Bihar elections: BJP reworks poll strategy after two phases With campaign for the fourth phase drawing to a close on Friday, the BJP’s own assessment gives it a clear and huge edge over the grand alliance. The NDA had, in fact, stepped up its campaign for Sunday’s crucial polls with Prime Minister Narendra Modi charging from the front after getting a hint that it has a lead over the over the grand alliance in the third round. “Our support base has increased in the past few years. The Prime Minister’s rallies have drawn huge crowds, indicating the BJP’s popularity. We are headed for a complete sweep,” Bihar BJP spokesperson Devesh Kumar said. Even grand alliance parties are worried about a poor show in this round. “This one belongs to the BJP. We would be happy with even slightest of gains. We have nothing to lose,” a member of Kumar’s campaign team said. The RJD is hopeful of giving some jitters to the BJP. “We have been traditionally weak in this region. The NDA benefitted in 2014 because of a split in the votes between parties that are now part of grand alliance now. In a changed scenario, we expect to do better than the previous election,” party spokesman Manoj Jha said. The RJD was runners up in 33 of 55 seats in 2010 elections. As the campaign ended, security forces sealed the borders with Nepal and Uttar Pradesh. This phase has 12 Maoist-affected districts, though less troublesome as those in the first two phases. Also read | Surveys point to an exciting finish in Bihar elections -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
