E.V.K.S. Elangovan takes oath as Erode (East) MLA, says he is not interested in CLP leader’s post

Following Elangovan’s election in the recent Erode (East) byelection, there was talk that he would replace Mr. Selvaperunthagai as the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader

Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu (extreme left) administers oath of office to Congress MLA E.V.K.S. Elangovan (fourth right) who was recently elected during the recently-concluded bypoll at Erode (East) Assembly constituency. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin (second left) is also present during the swearing-in ceremony that took place at the chamber of the Speaker in the Secretariat in Chennai on March 10, 2023. | Photo Credit: Twitter / @INCTamilNadu

Senior Congress leader E.V.K.S Elangovan, who on Friday took the oath as the Erode (East) MLA, reiterated that he was not interested in the post of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader. The post is now held by Sriperumbudur MLA K. Selvaperunthagai.

Interacting with journalists at the Secretariat after taking the oath, Mr. Elangovan said Mr. Selvaperunthagai, who is also the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of the Assembly, will continue as the CLP leader.

Following Mr. Elangovan’s election in the recent byelection, there was talk that he would replace Mr. Selvaperunthagai as the CLP leader. Setting the speculation to rest, he said that though Mr. Selvaperunthagai was younger than him, “he is determined to safeguard secularism and eliminate caste and communal forces.”

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee’s legislative party leader and Sriperumbudur MLA K. Selvaperunthagai greets to newly elected MLA of Erode (East) constituency E.V.K.S. Elangovan at Secretariat in Chennai on March 10, 2023 | Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

The CLP leader’s performance was good, he said, adding, “As far as I am concerned, Mr.Selvaperunthagai should continue as the CLP leader.” Asked further, he said, “When I said he should continue, I am not interested [in the post]. It is obvious.”

Mr. Elangovan downplayed the absence of his party’s MLAs at his swearing-in, saying the CLP leader was present as a representative of “our MLAs”, and TNCC president K.S. Alagiri and other party functionaries took part at the function.

Earlier, he took the oath of affirmation before Speaker M. Appavu in his chamber in the presence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and senior Ministers K.N. Nehru, K. Ponmudy and S. Muthusamy, and legislators. CPI(M) State secretary K. Balakrishnan, CPI State secretary R. Mutharasan, VCK founder Thol. Thirumavalavan, MMK leader M.H. Jawahirullah, MDMK headquarters secretary Durai Vaiko were among others present.

As of Friday, the ruling DMK has 132 MLAs (excluding the Speaker), the AIADMK 66, the Congress 18, the PMK five, the BJP and the VCK four each, the CPI and the CPI(M) have two each in the 234-member Assembly.