Chennai, Aug 18: Legendary orator N.S.S. Kannan, popularly known as ‘Nellai’ Kannan passed away at his residence on Thursday evening. He was 77. A multifaceted personality ³Nellai’ Kannan was a great orator with the attractive ‘Tirunelvali slang’ on a range of subjects including Tamil literature and politics. His affiliation was to the Indian National Congress that fielded him against former Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi in the Chepauk Assembly constituency in 1996 and lost it due to the strong anti-incumbency wave against the Jayalalitha-led government.
His love for late Chief Minister K.Kamaraj was equally legendary as he would often turn emotional while speaking about him.
CM M.K.Stalin, in a statement condoling his death. During a demonstration and public meeting against Citizenship Amendment Act in 2020 at Melapalayam in Tirunelveli, the remarks made by ‘Nellai’ Kannan against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah landed him in trouble.