BJP's first-ever MLA in Tamil Nadu, Velayuthan dies
Chennai | C Velayuthan, who was the BJP's first MLA in the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed away on Wednesday, the party said.
He was 73.
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.
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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