Veteran Congress leader in Tamil Nadu and Erode East MLA EVKS Elangovan has been discharged from the hospital in Chennai on Thursday - April 6, three weeks after getting admitted in the hospital where he battled with the COVID pandemic and coronary artery disease. 

74-year-old EVKS Elangovan is a former Union Minister and on March 10, he got elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from the Erode East constituency. In a historic mandate, Elangovan won the bypoll with the margin of over 66,000 votes. The bypoll was held after his son Thirumahan Everaa died on January 4 at the age of 46 due to cardiac arrest. To replace Everaa, the Congress party fielded his father as its candidate. 

His victory was declared on March 10 and at a high time when he was preparing to attend the assembly session for the first time in over three decades, Elangovan has fallen ill and was hospitalized at Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre in Chennai. While it was reported that Elangovan had a breathing difficulty, it was later confirmed that he had contracted the Omicron variant of the COVID pandemic. 

In weeks of hospitalization, Elangovan endured setback and on March 20, the hospital said that Elangovan had tested positive for COVID-19 and he was diagnosed with coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure. The hospital also said that the lawmaker was getting treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Two days later, the hospital announced that he was tested negative for COVID, citing that he is on a road to recovery. 

In its statement on March 22, the hospital wrote, "Mr EVKS Elangovan was admitted on 15.03.2023 in Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre with coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure & COVID infection. Now, his COVID is negative and recovering from congestive heart failure in the Intensive Care Unit." The announcement gave a relief to the Congress cadres and later, Elangovan had released a video in which he asserted that he is doing fine and stable. 

Two weeks after getting recovered from COVID, Elangovan has now been discharged from the hospital. Informing that the legislator has been discharged, the hospital, in its statement on Thursday- April 6, said, "Mr EVKS Elangovan was admitted on 15.03.2023 in Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre with coronary artery disease and COVID infection. He has recovered from COVID infection. He is stable and discharged."