La Ganesan appointed governor of Manipur; senior Tamil Nadu BJP leader succeeds Najma Heptulla

New Delhi: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Tamil Nadu La Ganesan was on Sunday appointed the new governor of Manipur. Ganesan became the 17th governor of the state. The post of the governor had fallen vacant after the retirement of Najma Heptulla earlier this month. A communique from the Rashtrapati Bhavan said Ganesan will be the new “Governor of Manipur with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office”. Heptulla had demitted office on 10 August and on the same day the charge was given to Sikkim governor Ganga Prasad. Speaking about his elevation, Ganesan said, “I feel very elated because my services have been recognised. I am prepared to work in any place in India. BJP has given me an opportunity to work in Madhya Pradesh before and now in the northeast,” he stated. “Emotionally, I feel that entire Bharat is one. Now by experience, I will feel that the entire Bharat is one,” he added. On being asked about the current issues in Manipur, Ganesan said he has not taken charge as the governor yet and will only understand the core issues of the state once he takes the charge. “I am not alone. There is a whole party with me. Together we will be successful in our duties,” he added. He added that coincidentally he has replaced Heptulla twice — once when he became a member of Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh and now when he became the governor of Manipur. Meanwhile, wishes have begun to pour in from politicians. Tamil Nadu governor Banwarilal Purohit and chief minister MK Stalin congratulated Ganesan on his appointment as governor of Manipur. Stalin pointed out that the senior BJP leader from the state had a long political experience. In a tweet, Stalin, addressed Ganesan as an “elder brother” and recalled the BJP leader’s affectionate ties with his late father and former chief minister M Karunanidhi.

மணிப்பூர் மாநில ஆளுநராகப் பொறுப்பேற்கவுள்ள தலைவர் கலைஞரின் அன்பைப் பெற்ற பண்பாளரும்; நீண்ட அரசியல் அனுபவத்துக்குச் சொந்தக்காரருமான அண்ணன் திரு. இல.கணேசன் அவர்களுக்கு வாழ்த்துகள்! pic.twitter.com/gbFySiCcRp

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) August 22, 2021

Purohit said he was delighted and added, “I congratulate Thiru La Ganesan and extend my best wishes for glorious service to the people of Manipur. I wish him peaceful and successful tenure in Manipur,” he said in a Raj Bhavan statement. Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant-Governor of Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan also extended her greetings to Ganesan. In her message, Soundararajan said she was glad that “the senior BJP leader from Tamil Nadu and my elder brother whom I always hold in high esteem has been appointed the Governor of Manipur.” She said that the experience and administrative capability of Ganesan would be of great help for the development of Manipur. Agencies