PTI, CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the Centre again to confer the country's highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna on late J Jayalalithaa and Dravidian icon C N Annadurai.

The Bharat Ratna "would be the most fitting way to recognise the extraordinary public service, phenomenal achievements and the remarkable life of one of the most influential political leaders of independent India," Palaniswami said in the letter to Modi, recalling Jayalalithaa's welfare measures and initiatives.

The chief minister drew Modi's attention to a letter of December 18, 2016 of the state government recommending the award to the former chief minister posthumously.

Jayalalithaa passed away on December 5, 2016.

The Tamil Nadu Cabinet resolved on September 9 to reiterate to the Centre its decision taken in the Cabinet meeting on December 10, 2016, he said.