In anticipation of a drastic move by the former Union Minister, G.K. Vasan, almost all frontline leaders of the Congress closed ranks on Sunday, when E.V.K.S Elangovan took charge as Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president.
A euphoric mood prevailed at the Satyamurthi Bhavan in the morning with hundreds of workers turning up to witness the transition. The whole of General Patters Road was decked with posters and cut-outs of the new TNCC chief, who was welcomed with firecrackers and sweets by his supporters. The outgoing president, B.S. Gnanadesikan, a staunch Vasan loyalist, came to the party headquarters to pass on the baton.
While Mr. Elangovan made a fervent appeal to Mr. Vasan to remain in the Congress, other senior leaders backed Mr. Elangovan’s appointment.
The former Union Minister, Jayanthi Natarajan, said the firebrand orator was an apt choice for the post when the party was going through a tough period.
In the afternoon, the former Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, greeted Mr. Elangovan. “The TNCC chief is common to all. My request to him would be that he should consult everyone while taking decisions,” he told a packed auditorium. Everyone should stay “united” and help him by strengthening the party, he said.
There was representation from across the factions. Senior leaders, including M. Krishnasamy, R. Prabhu, Kumari Ananthan, A. Chellakumar, the floor leader in the Assembly, K. Gopinath, a strong supporter of the former TNCC president, K. Thangkabalu, MLA Vijayadharini and the former MLA, Vasanth Kumar, were among those present.
