The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : BJP pays greater attention to Thally and Hosur constituencies

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 26, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

BJP pays greater attention to Thally and Hosur constituencies

Special Correspondent

State unit utilising the services of national leaders to boost the party's chances

— Photo: N. Bashkaran

BIG DRAW: BJP leader L.K. Advani addressing an election meeting in Hosur on Monday.

CHENNAI: The Bharatiya Janata Party is paying greater attention to the Thally and Hosur constituencies in Krishnagiri district, besides those in Kanyakumari district.

As an indication of this strategy, the State unit brought the party's "poster boy" L.K. Advani to these areas on Monday.

As Mr Advani is undertaking the "Bharat Surakasha Yatra" (that does not touch the five States going to the polls), the party is aware that it should utilise the services of its leader optimally in the constituencies where the chances of the BJP candidates are high.

Later this week, party strategist M. Venkaiah Naidu and vice-president L. Ganesan will visit the two constituencies.

Next week, party president Rajnath Singh will canvass votes for his party, according to Bandaru Dattatreya, "prabhari" (in charge) for Tamil Nadu. Mr Singh is also embarking on the yatra simultaneously.

In 2001, the BJP was part of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led front. While the party won in Thally, it did not retain Hosur. This time too, the BJP has fielded the same candidates, K.V. Muralidharan and B. Venkataswamy, in Thally and Hosur.

The party is banking on the "good work" done by the sitting MLA of Thally and the "personal standing" of the seasoned candidate in Hosur. Mr. Venkataswamy, who won on Janata Dal ticket in 1996, joined the BJP in 1999.

Achievements

Road improvements and opening of more part-time fair price shops in remote areas, particularly in tribal areas, are cited as achievements of Mr Muralidharan. He promises that he will take steps for the creation of a special economic zone. "Last year, the preliminary work was carried out."

As for Hosur, Mr. Venkataswamy (71), elected from the constituency in 1967 and 1971 as Swatantara Party nominee, lays emphasis on finding a solution to the drinking water problem by implementing the Hogenakkal water supply scheme. The region suffers from poor water quality. He proposes an underground water supply project and electric train services between Hosur and Bangalore. Closure of small-scale industrial units has rendered several unemployed, particularly the youth. This problem will also be addressed, he says.

The establishment of an industrial estate at Hosur, the construction of the Kelavarapalli reservoir and the implementation of a floriculture project are among his "achievements".

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