1 week ago
Last Updated: May 08, 2024, 19:01 IST
First ever BJP MLA in Tamil Nadu, C Velayuthan. (Image: X)
Velayuthan was elected from Padmanabhapuram Assembly constituency in Kanniyakumari district and he passed away there
C Velayutham who was the Bharatiya Janata Party’s first MLA in the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed away on Wednesday, the party said. He was 73.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the veteran leader’s passing and said that Velayutham will be “remembered for his concern for the poor and downtrodden”.
Anguished by the passing away of Thiru C. Velayutham Ji, the first BJP MLA from Tamil Nadu. It is people like him who have built our Party in Tamil Nadu and explained our development agenda to the people. He will also be remembered for his concern for the poor and downtrodden.…— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 8, 2024
BJP national president JP Nadda, in a post on X said, “Deeply saddened by the passing away of former MLA and social worker C Velayutham ji. He was the first-ever assembly candidate elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from the BJP, representing the Padmanabhapuram constituency in the 1996 elections. His commitment and dedication to the party and to society will always be remembered. My deepest condolences to his family and supporters in this difficult time. Om Shanti!”
Deeply saddened by the passing away of former MLA and social worker C. Velayutham ji. He was the first-ever assembly candidate elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from the BJP, representing the Padmanabhapuram constituency in the 1996 elections. His commitment and…— Jagat Prakash Nadda (Modi Ka Parivar) (@JPNadda) May 8, 2024
Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai hailed Velayuthan as a pioneer of the party in the state. On X, he said, Velayuthan, BJP’s first MLA in Tamil Nadu, worked hard and “sowed the seeds of confidence for the party’s growth in Tamil Nadu.” He condoled the death of Velayuthan and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family.
தமிழக பாஜகவின் முதல் சட்டமன்ற உறுப்பினரும், கட்சியின் முன்னோடிகளில் ஒருவருமான, ஐயா திரு.C.வேலாயுதன் அவர்கள் காலமானார் என்ற செய்தி மிகுந்த வருத்தமளிக்கிறது.கட்சியின் வளர்ச்சிக்கு அரும்பாடு பட்டவர். கொள்கைப் பிடிப்பு மிக்கவர். கடினமான உழைப்பாளி. தமிழகத்தில் பாஜகவின்… pic.twitter.com/xcAgXYoQBa
— K.Annamalai (மோடியின் குடும்பம்) (@annamalai_k) May 8, 2024
Several other BJP leaders, including Union Minister L Murugan condoled Velayuthan’s death. Velayuthan’s victory in the 1996 Assembly election was remarkable, not only because the saffron party opened its account in the Assembly but it happened when the DMK-led alliance swept the polls decimating the AIADMK.
Velayuthan was elected from Padmanabhapuram Assembly constituency in Kanniyakumari district and he passed away there. In 1996, Velayuthan defeated his nearest rival, Bala Janathipathy of the DMK and won by a margin of 4,540 votes. He was associated with Sevabharathi, an RSS affiliated social service organisation and took part in the anti-Emergency movement from 1975 to 1977.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI)
