The Union Home Ministry has approved CM N Rangasamy's proposal to expand the Puducherry cabinet. Three MLAs—P Rajavelu, VP Sivakolundhu, and GNS Rajasekaran (BJP)—will be sworn in as ministers following the NDA's win in the UT elections.
MHA Approves Puducherry Cabinet Expansion
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the proposal sent by Chief Minister N Rangasamy for expansion of the Puducherry Council of Ministers, clearing the way for the induction of three MLAs into the cabinet.
In an official statement on Monday, the Ministry of Home Affairs wrote, "The President is pleased to appoint, on the advice of the Chief Minister, P Rajavelu, VP Sivakolundhu and GNS Rajasekaran as Ministers in the Council of Ministers for the Union territory of Puducherry, with effect from the date they are sworn in."
With this approval, P Rajavelu, VP Sivakolundhu and GNS Rajasekaran will take oath as ministers in the Union Territory government. Notably, GNS Rajasekaran, who contested and won from the Thirunallar constituency in the Karaikal district on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket, is also set to be inducted into the Council of Ministers.
Timeline of Post-Election Developments
The cabinet expansion comes after the Chief Minister forwarded the list of names to the Union Home Ministry, which has now given its approval for the reshuffle in the Puducherry government.
Earlier on May 20, Puducherry Legislative Assembly Pro-tem Speaker Anbalagan administered the oath of office to the newly elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). Following this, the swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected legislators will commence, where the Pro-tem Speaker will officially administer the oath of secrecy to the members.
On May 15, MLA A Anbalagan was appointed as the pro-tem Speaker of the 16th Puducherry Legislative Assembly by the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, K Kailashnathan, on the recommendation of Chief Minister N Rangasamy. Anbalagan is the sole AIADMK MLA in Puducherry. He won the Oupalam seat after defeating Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) candidate S Siva by a margin of 1026 votes.
The appointment comes days after N Rangasamy took charge as the Chief Minister of Puducherry following the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) victory in the recently concluded Assembly elections. Rangasamy, founder of the All India NR Congress (AINRC), was sworn in as Chief Minister on May 13. Puducherry Lieutenant Governor K Kailashnathan administered the oath of office and secrecy during a ceremony attended by BJP National President Nitin Nabin and senior leaders of the alliance.
The oath-taking ceremony followed the Puducherry Assembly election results declared on May 4, in which the NDA retained power in the Union Territory. In the 30-member Assembly, NR Congress secured 12 of 30 seats, while the BJP won four seats. AIADMK bagged one seat. The DMK won five seats, and Congress secured one seat. Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) also opened its account by winning two seats in its debut election in the UT.
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