Chennai

BJP functionaries in western Tamil Nadu paid their respects to the 92-year-old RSS ideologue and recalled the camaraderie enjoyed by the late leader with BJP leaders Vajpayee and LK Advani.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, Opposition Leader MK Stalin and TN Governor Banwarilal Purohit expressed their condolences.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled the veteran leader’s role in the anti-emergency movement. “Anguished by the demise of Shri KN Lakshmanan ji. He was at the forefront of serving the people of Tamil Nadu and expanding the BJP organisation there. His role in the anti-emergency movement and participation in socio-cultural activities will always be remembered. Om Shanti,” Modi tweeted.

Lakshmanan died due to age related problems at his residence in Sevvaipettai in Salem on Monday night. Lakshmanan, who had represented the Mylapore Assembly constituency in Chennai from 2001-06, is survived by his wife Ranganayaki Ammal, daughter Bhuvaneshwari and son Sekhar.

He had been the president of the Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP twice. Party president JP Nadda, too paid rich tributes to the leader and said, BJP national secretary P Muralidhar Rao said, “He was very simple, but deeply committed to the ideology of nationalism and public service..”

State unit president L Murugan said, “His contribution in the field of education was remarkable. In 1970, along with NP Vasudevan, he started the Sri Vidhya Mandir School.”