La. Ganesan Iyer (born 16 February 1945) is an Indian politician who is serving as the 19th Governor of Nagaland. His previous tenures include the 17th Governor of Manipur between 27 August 2021 and 12 February 2023, the Governor of West Bengal between 18 July 2022 and 17 November 2022. Ganesan is the senior leader of the Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party.[1]

La. Ganesan
19th Governor of Nagaland
Assumed office
20 February 2023
Chief MinisterNeiphiu Rio
Preceded byJagdish Mukhi (additional charge)
17th Governor of Manipur
In office
27 August 2021 – 19 February 2023
Chief MinisterN. Biren Singh
Preceded byGanga Prasad
(additional charge)
Succeeded byAnusuiya Uikey
Governor of West Bengal
(Additional Charge)
In office
18 July 2022 – 17 November 2022
Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee
Preceded byJagdeep Dhankhar
Succeeded byC. V. Ananda Bose
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
In office
6 October 2016 – 2 April 2018
Leader of the HouseArun Jaitley
Preceded byNajma Heptullah
Succeeded byKailash Soni
ConstituencyMadhya Pradesh
Personal details
Born (1945-02-16) 16 February 1945 (age 79)
Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu [Madras State], India
(present-day Tamil Nadu)
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party
EducationS.S.L.C.
ProfessionPolitician

Early life edit

Ganesan was born on 16 February 1945 as the son of Ilakumirakavan and Alamelu in a Telugu Brahmin family. He grew up with his brother after his father died at a young age. He joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), left his job without getting married, and returned to public life as a full-time activist.[2][3]

Political career edit

Before being appointed General Secretary of the TN BJP[clarification needed] unit, he was a Pracharak in RSS.[4] He escaped from the police during The Emergency and lived in hiding for about a year.[5] He then served as the National Secretary and as the Vice President of BJP.[6] He was selected as the President of BJP's Tamil Nadu state unit.

He is a former Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha and replaced the former union minister Najma Heptulla as a Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh.[7]

Speech about sacrificing Tamil Nadu edit

Ganesan's comments on protests started by locals against extraction of hydrocarbons at Neduvasal village in Tamil Nadu became controversial when he said, "There is nothing wrong in sacrificing a state for the welfare of the country."[8][9]

Governor of Manipur edit

On 22 August 2021, he was appointed as the 17th Governor of Manipur by President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind.[10] He was sworn in as the 17th Governor of Manipur at the Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan, Imphal on 27 August 2021. He was administered the oath of office by Honourable Chief Justice of Manipur High Court PV Sanjay Kumar. Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, ministers, and legislators were present in the ceremonial. He served in the post until 12 February 2023, after which Anusuiya Uikey was appointed.

Attack on Kirubanidhi edit

Kirubanidhi, the first Dalit president of the BJP in Tamil Nadu, along with La. Ganesan, went to Indore, Madhya Pradesh, to participate in the BJP national council's meeting in 2003. After the meeting, La. Ganesan started verbally abusing Kirubanidhi by criticizing Kirubanidhi's caste. In an interview, Kirubanidhi said the fight was over the misuse of funds by La. Ganesan that he had pointed out.[11][5]

Additional charge as Governor of West Bengal edit

On 18 July 2022, Ganesan assumed the office of Governor of West Bengal, after nominating Jagdeep Dhankhar as vice-presidential candidate by the National Democratic Alliance coalition.[12]

Ganesan received backlash for pushing Indian footballer Sunil Chhetri out of a photo op during the presentation ceremony of 2022 Durand Cup.[13]

References edit

  1. ^ Quint, The (22 August 2021). "BJP Leader La Ganesan Appointed as New Governor of Manipur". TheQuint. Retrieved 23 August 2021..
  2. ^ "தலைவர் 11 தகவல்கள்: இல.கணேசன்". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). 12 October 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  3. ^ "கவர்னராகிறார் இல.கணேசன்; முழு வாழ்க்கை வரலாறு - Dinamalar Tamil News". Dinamalar (in Tamil). 22 August 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Munde lobbies for Mahajan's post, but RSS has other plans". The Indian Express. 13 May 2006. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  5. ^ a b சுதா, ஐஷ்வர்யா (22 August 2021). "தஞ்சாவூர் கணேசன் மணிப்பூர் ஆளுநரான கதை!". tamil.abplive.com. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  6. ^ "By elevating Ganesan, BJP hopes to strengthen State unit". The Indian Express. 1 February 2006. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  7. ^ "Rajya Sabha: BJP's iLa Ganesan elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal News - Times of India". The Times of India. 6 October 2016.
  8. ^ "ஹைட்ரோ கார்பன் திட்டம் குறித்து பொன்.ராதாகிருஷ்ணன், இல.கணேசன் கருத்து". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). 26 February 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  9. ^ "La Ganesan, ex-RSS pracharak and Tamil Nadu BJP chief, made Manipur governor". Hindustan Times. 22 August 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  10. ^ "Senior BJP leader La. Ganesan appointed as new governor of Manipur". outlookindia.com. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  11. ^ Vignessh (13 March 2020). "Will BJP's Murugan experiment go the Kirubanidhi way?". The Federal. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  12. ^ Bureau, The Hindu (18 July 2022). "La. Ganesan takes oath as West Bengal governor". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  13. ^ "WB governor slammed for 'pushing' Sunil Chhetri during presentation ceremony | Football News". The Times of India. PTI. 19 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
Government offices
Preceded by
Ganga Prasad
Additional Charge
Governor of Manipur
27 August 2021 - 23 February 2023
Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of West Bengal
Additional Charge

18 July 2022 - 22 November 2022
Succeeded by