EVKS Elangovan, former Tamil Nadu Congress president, passes away at 75

Former Tamil Nadu Congress President EVKS Elangovan passed away at 75 at a private hospital in Chennai on Saturday. He was hospitalised due to a lung-related issue and was undergoing intensive treatment for more than two weeks.

He currently served as the MLA representing the Erode East constituency. He previously represented the Gobichettipalayam Lok Sabha constituency of Tamil Nadu and was the Textiles Minister for the Union Government between 2004 and 2009, in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Government.

The Congress made a social media post on X to grieve the death of the leader.


"We are deeply grieved by the passing of veteran Congress leader and former union minister Shri EVKS Elangovan. A stalwart leader, he served as the Tamil Nadu PCC President and devoted his life to the service of the people. He will always be remembered for his unwavering commitment to progressive and democratic ideals. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and followers during this difficult time," Congress said in the post.

Who was EVKS Elangovan?

EVKS Elangovan was the grandson of of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy's brother Krishnasamy. He was first elected as an MLA in the Tamil Nadu assembly in 1984 from the Sathyamangalam constituency.

However, he was defeated in the 1989 assembly election to AIADMK's V K Chinnasamy. In 2004, he was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) from the Gobichettipalayam Lok Sabha constituency of Tamil Nadu and was given the portfolio of Textiles Minister.

In 2009, he contested from the Erode Lok Saha constituency but lost to DMK's A Ganeshamurthi.

He was made the President of Tamil Nadu Congress by All India Congress Committee chief Sonia Gandhi on October 31, 2014, followed by the resignation of B. S. Gnanadesikan.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha election he lost to O. P. Ravindranath Kumar, the son of O. Panneerselvam, in Theni. Elangovan was the only candidate of the UPA to lose in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu.

He came back to the Tamil Nadu assembly after 34 years in 2023 after being elected in the by-election due to the death of his son Thirumagan Evera.