Telugus, Kannadigas hold key to Hosur

Dominant Telugu and a sizable Kannadiga population would decide the election in the border constituency of Hosur, where the sitting Congress MLA Gopinath is facing a tough fight from AIADMK.

Though Gopinath has a small edge, the AIADMK has nominated P Balakrishnan from the Telugu community, making the challenge particularly tougher for the incumbent. Gopinath is banking heavily on the Telugu electorates here as he makes the third attempt to enter the Tamil Nadu Assembly. In 2011, he defeated DMDK challenger S John Timothy by 10,000 votes.

Local people said AIADMK and Congress will have a straight contest this time. BJP candidate Balakrishnan received an unexpected boost as Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed an election rally in Hosur. For several decades, the border constituency has elected a Telugu as its representative, the reason for political parties including Congress and AIADMK to pick their nominees from the community.

Hosur district administration told DH that about 50% of people in the town are Telugus, while Kannadigas who came down from Bengaluru and settled here constitute 20%. Out of the 2.9 lakh voters in this town bordering Karnataka, those from Balagondarayanadurgam, Baliganapalli, Berigai, Nallur Agraharam Muthali prefer Gopinath. 

"He (Gopinath) worked hard to prevail upon Karnataka government to release water in Kelavarapalli dam, which helped us a lot,” T G Nagaraj from Muthali Taluk said.

However, people from Boopalapurm, Chenathur and Chennapalli said the municipality should find a permanent solution to the water problem instead of digging public bore-wells as a temporary remedy.

"We need a permanent solution for the water issue", S Ramarao, a farmer from Chenathur, said.