TN Congress chief Elangovan's supporters demand withdrawal of his resignation

Chennai: Supporters of TNCC President EVKS Elangovan, who resigned from the post for the party’s poor show in 16 May Assembly elections, on Sunday demanded withdrawal of his resignation. High drama prevailed outside his Manapakkam residence here when one of the supporters tried self-immolation by pouring kerosene on him. However, other Congress workers prevented him from going ahead as they snatched away the container and threw it away. [caption id=“attachment_2856068” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] TNCC President EVKS Elangovan. Image courtesy: Twitter/@EVKSElangovan[/caption] About 40 TNCC district secretaries loyal to the former Union Minister met him and held consultations where they demanded withdrawal of his resignation, senior leaders said. N Rangabashyam, district secretary, North Chennai, said that the supporters had sought withdrawal of his resignation, adding, “We are confident he will continue as TNCC President.” He also denied reports that the office-bearers bearing loyalty to Elangovan, planned to quit en masse. Elangovan had submitted his resignation on 15 June, owning moral responsibility to the party’s poor show in the 16 May Assembly polls, where it had joined hands with former ally DMK. Congress had won just eight out of the 41 seats it had contested. However, the Congress high command has so far not accepted Elangovan’s resignation so far. V R Sivaraman (Kancheepuram North) said that Elangovan had not offered to quit ‘under pressure’ but had taken moral responsibility for the poor show in election. The supporters said that Elangovan had asked them to cooperate with any new leader who could replace him as TNCC President and work for the party’s good show in the coming local body polls.