Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister E V K S Elangovan assumed office as president of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) today at the party headquarters Satyamurthi Bhavan here.
Assuming office for the second time, he assured party workers that “he would take everyone along” and hoped that through “hard work” the golden rule of Congress icon Kamaraj could again be brought back to Tamil Nadu.
Starting his political career as a student Congress leader, he went on to become TNCC general secretary (1998—2000), and then chief of TN state unit during 2000—02 period and later functioned as working president as well.
An articulate leader, he is known for his no-nonsense approach and bold political views. He was Minister of State for Textiles during UPA’s first tenure between 2004 and 2009.
Son of E V K Sampath, a top leader of DMK and later the Congress in Tamil Nadu, he is also the grandson of E V Krishnaswamy, elder brother of reformist leader Thanthai Periyar E V Ramasamy.
Lauding Elangovan, former Union Minister P Chidambaram, who is locked in a turf war with his former cabinet colleague G K Vasan said the state party chief should take decisions after “consulting all functionaries,” an euphemism for the factions in the party.
“The president is common to all (party workers),” he said.
Vasan follower and outgoing president B S Gnanadesikan was present on the occasion, besides several others.
At a time when the exit of Vasan-led faction and revival of Tamil Maanila Congress, (a separate political party) appears imminent, Elangovan has taken over as president.
The new TNCC chief has a tough task of uniting several ambitious factional leaders and strengthening the party ahead of the 2016 Assembly elections.