Former Tamil Nadu Congress Chief EVKS Elangovan Passes Away at 75

EVKS Elangovan, a senior Congress leader and former Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president, passed away in Chennai on Saturday due to lung-related issues. He was 74 and undergoing treatment for over two weeks at a private hospital. He would have turned 75 on December 21.

Elangovan served as the MLA for East and had a long political career. He was first elected as an MLA in 1984 from Sathyamangalam. Later, he represented the Gobichettipalayam Lok Sabha constituency in 2004 and became the Union Minister of State for Textiles in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government.

Elangovan hailed from a prominent political family. He was the son of E.V.K. Sampath, a founding member of the DMK who later joined the Congress. His granduncle was Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, a key social reformer.

During his career, he held the TNCC president post twice—first from 2000 to 2002 and again from 2014 to 2016. Known for his outspoken nature, he often made bold remarks about political alliances and controversies in Tamil Nadu.

Elangovan's passing marks the end of a significant chapter in Tamil Nadu politics, where he played key roles both as a legislator and as a voice for the Congress party in the state.