Tamil Nadu Assembly Declares Erode East Constituency Vacant Following the Demise of E.V.K.S. Elangovan
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Chennai, Dec 17 (NationPress) The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has formally announced the vacancy of the Erode East constituency after the passing of senior political figure and ex-state Congress president E.V.K.S. Elangovan.
This vacancy has been reported to the Election Commission of India. Under electoral guidelines, a by-election must occur within six months of a constituency becoming vacant.
As a result, a by-election for the Erode East constituency is anticipated to occur in either January or February 2025.
Elangovan, who was hospitalized in a private Chennai facility due to respiratory issues, unfortunately, passed away on December 14.
It’s noteworthy that Elangovan ran for the Erode East Assembly seat following the sudden death of his son and incumbent MLA, Thirumahan Everaa.
A significant figure in Tamil Nadu politics, Elangovan was the grand-nephew of the social reformer and Dravidian movement icon E.V. Ramasamy Periyar.
He was born to E.V.K. Sampath, a close ally of former DMK Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai, and Sulochana Sampath, who had ties to the AIADMK.
Elangovan’s political journey commenced during his university years when he was elected Secretary of the Presidency College Students’ Congress in 1967.
Throughout the years, he occupied several pivotal roles within the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC). His positions included president of the Erode District Youth Congress (1978–1980), president of the Erode City Congress Committee (1980–1982), general secretary of the Erode District Congress Committee (1982–1983), president of the Erode District Congress Committee (1990–1996), Member of the All India Congress Committee, General Secretary of TNCC (1998–2000), and President of TNCC (2000–2002, 2014–2016), along with serving as Working President of TNCC (2002–2003).
Moreover, he was an active trade unionist, notably within the transport sector of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC).
Elangovan was recognized for his candid demeanor, often engaging in disputes with leading Dravidian figures, including former Chief Ministers M. Karunanidhi and J. Jayalalithaa, even during coalition arrangements involving Congress and their respective parties.
Interestingly, Jayalalithaa was his classmate.
Elangovan once accused the AIADMK, under Jayalalithaa’s administration, of associating with groups sympathetic to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), an organization banned in India post the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.
He showed his discontent when Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) founder G.K. Moopanar fostered relationships with Jayalalithaa after the DMK allied with the BJP-led government at the Center in 1999.
In 2006, Elangovan sparked controversy by requesting a share of power for Congress in Tamil Nadu, akin to the DMK’s involvement in the Union government under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
