Chennai, Jun 6 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee in a bid to appease the Dalit community is planning to elaborately celebrate the centenary celebrations of L. Elayaperumal.

Elayaperumal was a towering leader of the Congress from the Dalit community in Tamil Nadu and the party is planning to conduct seminars and workshops as part of the centenary celebrations. The centenary of Elayaperumal falls on June 26.

Elayaperumal was an elected representative and a party leader. He had taken up several social issues for the upliftment of the Dalit communities and was a Member of Parliament from Cuddalore Lok Sabha constituency at the age of 27.

He went on to become an MP for three terms and an MLA from the Egmore Assembly constituency once.

M.P. Ranjan Kumar, head, TN Congress Scheduled Caste cell told media persons that the contributions of Elayaperumal to the Dalit and other wider communities of Tamil Nadu have not been discussed properly. He said that the party is planning to highlight the work carried out by the Dalit leader and wanted to make the younger generation of the Congress cadre as well as the general society aware of his contributions for the Dalit communities as well as for the society.

He also said that national leaders of the Congress are likely to attend the seminar.

It is to be noted that with the 2024 Lok Sabha elections nearing, the Congress wants to appease the Dalit communities in large numbers and the party is expecting major support from the community in the ensuing general elections.