SALEM: Former two-time Tamil Nadu State BJP president K N Lakshmanan died at his home in Salem on Monday night of age-related ailments. He was 90 years old and is survived by his wife and two children.
Born in Salem on October 20, 1930, he completed schooling at the Gokulnatha Hindu Mahajana school and did his BA at what was then the Salem Municipal College. In 1944, he joined the RSS and in 1957 started the Jana Sangh in Salem district along with nine others.
In 1969, he and senior RSS leader Vasudevan started the Vidya Mandir school at Shevapet in Salem city. From 1970 to 1974, he started branches of the school in 24 towns across the State.
When the Jana Sangh became the BJP, Lakshmanan was appointed the party’s State president and held the post from 1984-89. He also held the post from 1996 to 2000. In 2001, he was elected to the State Assembly from the Mylapore constituency in Chennai.
From 2006 till his death, he served as a member of the BJP’s national general council. In the course of his political career, he led several agitations in Salem and other districts, even going to prison.
He was a close associate of former prime minister A B Vajpayee and senior BJP leader L K Advani. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Lakshmanan over the telephone and enquired about his health.
Lakshmanan is survived by wife Ranganayaki (84), son Chandrasekaran (56) and daughter Bhuvaneswari (49).