Nagpur: As the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) elections draw closer, the city’s traditional Satta Market has tipped the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the frontrunner in the upcoming civic polls scheduled for January 15. Betting trends in the informal market often mirror public sentiment ahead of major elections, making these predictions a point of keen interest for political observers.

According to sources from the Nagpur Satta Bazar, punters are placing strong bets on the ruling BJP to retain power in the NMC, indicating confidence in the party’s organisational strength, governance record, and election strategy. The Indian National Congress is trailing behind in the betting trends, followed by the Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi (VBA) and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), reflecting a fragmented opposition space.

Interestingly, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)—which had secured 10 seats in the 2017 NMC elections—has not attracted significant attention in the Satta Market this time and is being largely sidelined by bettors, suggesting diminished expectations of its performance.

The election campaign is set to conclude by Tuesday evening, ahead of polling on Thursday, while the results will be declared on Friday. As the crucial voting day approaches, political anxiety has gripped candidates across party lines, with intense campaigning, last-minute outreach, and voter mobilisation efforts underway.

Whether the Satta Market’s prediction proves accurate will only be known once the votes are counted. Until then, Nagpur’s political landscape remains charged with speculation and anticipation.