PUDUCHERRY: N Rangasamy would be sworn in as the Chief Minister of the first NDA government in the UT, after he staked claim to form the government.
The three-time Chief minister today called on Lt Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan at Raj Nivas this evening and staked claim to form the NDA government.
Rangasamy handed over the letter to Lt Governor, which was also signed by all the 16 MLAs of AINRC and BJP electing him as the leader of the legislature parties of NDA to form the government under his leadership.
The NDA has 16 MLAs, in which AINRC has 10 and BJP has six.
The NDA which fought the elections under N Rangasamy, though had not announced their Chief Ministerial candidate before the poll, decided on Rangasamy as the leader of the NDA on Monday.
Shortly after receiving the letter in the laws of Raj Nivas, the Lt Governor said that the swearing will take place on the date decided by Rangasamy after approval of the Union government.
It is likely to be on May 7, sources said.
It will be Rangasamy’s fourth tenure as Chief minister, and the first, heading a coalition government.
Rangasamy first became Chief minister of a Congress government in 2001, then again in 2006 of another Congress government. After he was dethroned midway in 2008, he quit the party and floated the AINRC and came to power by sweeping the polls in 2011.
Now the main concern for Rangasamy is whether he would be given a free hand to run his government.
Though in the earlier three tenures, he had independently taken decisions with the cabinet being a mere formality, now such matters may require the concurrence of the BJP too.
With age catching up, 73-year-old Rangasamy expects this to be his last tenure as Chief Minister and hence is highly desirous of doing everything possible to provide good governance, sources in the party said.
Rangasamy, while expressing his gratitude to the people of Puducherry who voted the National Democratic Alliance to power, sought the cooperation of the people to take Puducherry on a new path of development.
He added that his government will give priority to the industrial development, employment, education and health sectors of the state and ensured to strive for the overall development of the UT.
“But first and foremost, the main task is for the UT government to work with the Union government to tackle the corona epidemic that is currently looming large,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Rangasamy also held the meeting of his party MLAs at the temple of his spiritual Guru Appapaithiasamy and got the blessings of the saint to begin his new innings.
For the BJP it is a very joyous moment as they not only would enter the Assembly by getting the mandate of the people after 20 years, but also be part of the government.
BJP had a lone elected MLA A.M. Krishnamurthy in 2001, but after his tenure got over, no other BJP candidate were elected.
Those who have claimed that BJP could never come to power in Puducherry, have now got the reply from the performance of the BJP with as many as six MLAs being elected to the Assembly, BJP observer and election incharge Nirmal Kumar Surana said.
"We will make Puducherry a model state under the leadership of Rangasamy," said Surana.
He also called on Rangasamy at his residence along with MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar and greeted him.
The leaders of both the parties would be holding meetings in the next few days to decide on ministers, speaker and other counters of the government, Nirmal Kumar Surana added.
PUDUCHERRY
UT of Puducherry
In 2016
Contested Without alliance
● AINRC: 8 seats /30 contested
● AIADMK: 4/30
● BJP: 0/30
In alliance
● DMK: 2/9
● INC: 15/21
In 2021
In alliance
● AINRC: 10/16
● AIADMK: 0/5
● BJP: 6/9
In alliance
● INC: 2/14
● DMK: 6/13
● VCK: 0/1
● CPI: 0/1
Pondy govt
NDA is set form a government in the Union Territory for the first time. AINRC chief N Rangasamy is all set to be its chief minister
Comparison of 2016 & 2021
AINRC: 8 seats to 10 seats (increase by 2 seats)
AIADMK: 4 seats to 0 (decline by 4 seats)
BJP: 0 seats to 6 seats (increase by six seats)
INC: 15 seats to 2 (decline by 13 seats)
DMK: 2 to 6 (increase by 4 seats)