CHENNAI: Former BJP state president K Annamalai on Thursday said that late BJP leader and former Nagaland Governor La Ganesan valued his role as a member of the party more than any constitutional office he held.

Speaking at a tribute meeting for La Ganesan at Kalaivanar Arangam here, Annamalai recalled, "During my tenure as BJP state president, he was appointed as the Governor of Manipur by the President of India. Soon after the announcement, he came to Kamalalayam, the BJP's Tamil Nadu headquarters, and handed me his resignation letter from the party's primary membership. The moment he gave me the letter, he was in tears. He loved the party more than any official position and always wanted to remain a BJP worker. Both of us even discussed his return to active service in the party after his gubernatorial tenure. Sadly, that could not happen."

State Health Minister Ma Subramanian, who read out Chief Minister MK Stalin's message, highlighted the long association between La Ganesan and the families of late DMK leader M Karunanidhi and Chief Minister Stalin.

BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran, senior leaders Pon Radhakrishnan, H Raja, Tamilisai Soundararajan, Vanathi Srinivasan, and others joined Ma Subramanian in paying homage by offering floral tributes to La Ganesan's portrait.