PUDUCHERRY: Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy returned home on Monday afternoon after getting discharged from MGM hospital in Chennai where he was under treatment for COVID-19.
A day after his swearing-in as Chief Minister on May 7, Rangasamy felt unwell. Doctors checked him and he was tested for COVID-19 which came positive, following which he left Puducherry for Chennai on May 9 and was admitted to the private hospital on the same day.
"The Chief Minister has responded well to the treatment for COVID-19 and is being discharged from MGM Healthcare today," said hospital Director Dr Prashanth Rajagopalan in a release. Rangasamy expressed his heartfelt gratitude for all the good wishes and prayers, said the Director.
After returning to Puducherry, he visited the temple of his Guru Appapaithiyamsamy built by him at Gorimedu and offered prayers. Earlier, on his arrival at the Gorimedu border, he was welcomed by his partymen and well-wishers.
Everyone is now eagerly awaiting the induction of ministers which is pending, as Rangasamy alone was sworn in at a brief function in Raj Nivas on May 7 by Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan. The AINRC’s partner in the NDA government, the BJP, is waiting with their list, hoping to bag the post of Deputy Chief Minister.
Rangasamy's task will be to finalise three names from his party for induction as ministers and then with the BJP’s three names, he will have to submit the list to the Lt Governor for approval by the President. While the MLAs remain expectant of a ministerial berth, Rangasamy will need some more time to recuperate.
However, the most important task before him would be to tackle the pandemic, which has become a concern in Puducherry with a large number of cases and increasing deaths and scarcity of oxygen and ventilator beds.