KRISHNAGIRI: The last decade has not been kind to AIADMK deputy coordinator KP Munusamy, electorally speaking. The 68-year-old veteran faced multiple defeats in the Krishnagiri region over that period, and is set to contest from Veppanahalli in the same area, yet again this time. In 2016 Assembly elections, he came a distant third in Pennagaram. In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he lost to the Congress candidate A Chellakumar in Krishnagiri. Now, he is locking horns with sitting DMK MLA P Murugan.
The last two Assembly elections witnessed a bitter fight for Veppanahalli. On both occasions, DMK emerged victorious. Munusamy, a three-time MLA, is now a Rajya Sabha MP. Murugan, on the other hand, is contesting for the same seat for a second time. Last elections, Murugan won the seat by a margin of over 5,000 votes. Veppanahalli shares borders with both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Interestingly, it’s the only constituency with 100 per cent rural demography.
Largely an agrarian society, tomato, mint, coriander, cabbage, and beans are widely cultivated here. People here are also dependant on the daily wages brought back by labourers working in Hosur, Bengaluru, Mallur, KGF, and other nearby industrial areas. Veppanahalli is rich in minerals and has over 150 granite polishing units.
But, labourers here are mostly migrant workers. The segment, being a border area, has considerable number of linguistic minorities, who speak Telugu, Urdu, and Kannada. The constituency is dominated by Vanniyars, followed by Naidu, Adi Dravidar, and Gowdas communities.
What’s the issue here?
For tomato cultivators M Velayutham and L Vijay, their main demand is a cold storage unit. “The State government should ensure that the tomatoes can be turned into a value-added product, by giving us equipment to make a sauce, juices, pickles, or other by-products. Government should set up a method where farmers could sell their produce directly to the government agency,” they urged.
The man-animal conflict was also a major concern for the people in this constituency. A forest official suggested, “Because of the National Highway connecting Chennai - Bengaluru passing through the forest area, a few elephants inadvertently wander into the highway where they meet with accidents.
To solve this fences must be built for a stretch of one km near Sanamavu. An Eco-Bridge can be constructed to allow the elephants to cross the road.” The residents also demand to upgrade the PHCs.
Poll promises
AIADMK candidate KP Munusamy assured to carry out all government schemes and ensure implementation of all AIADMK promises in the manifesto such as six gas cylinders per household, three-phase current system for farmers, and loan waiver for Self Help Group.
DMK candidate P Murugan promised to set up a Government Polytechnic college in Veppanahalli. He also promised to reroute the Aliyalam- Thoolchetti channel via Nagamangalam and Rayakottai, which will revive over 5,000 acres of cultivation land and replenish over 20 lakes and groundwater table in Veppanahalli constituency.