EVKS Elangovan reinstates Vasanthakumar

In a statement Elangovan said the newly appointed convener Thiraviyam has resigned and hence Vasanthakumar has been made traders cell convener. Curiously, the TNCC chief did not explain why Thiraviyam quit office or why Vasanthakumar was reinstated. Pertinently, it was the same Thiraviyam party’s women’s wing president Vijayadharani had accused a few days back of harassing her in Satyamurthy Bhavan, which eventually led to booking of FIR against Elangovan and the lone woman MLA of the party.

Tuesday’s reinstatement of Vasanthakumar should also have left Elangovan red-faced if one were to factor in the reason his supporter and spokesman V. Gopanna had given then. Gopanna justified the sacking by arguing that Vasanthakumar was holding two posts, which was against party tradition, and hence he had been divested of one post.

However, sources privy to the development attributed Thiraviyam ‘s sacking to high commands intervention and said, “First, it was Vasanthakumar sacking, which didn’t go well with AICC general secretary in charge of TN, Mukul Wasnik. Then came Vijayadharani’s complaint in which national women’s wing chief Shoba Osha also intervened, pulled up Elangovan, and referred the matter to Rahul Gandhi. Both worked against Thiraviyam. Sonia gave a briefing to Wasnik before leaving for treatment overseas.”