Puducherry (SunstarTV Bureau): N Rangasamy, All India NR Congress (AINRC) was sworn in as the chief minister of the Union territory of Puducherry in a simple function at Raj Nivas today.
Rangasamy led the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to victory in 2021 polls. His party won 10 of the 16 seats it contested while its ally BJP won six of the nine. Another ally AIADMK which contested five seats drew a blank. The Congress -led Secular Progressive Alliance could manage only eight. Congress bagged just two seats while its ally DMK six.
A record number of six independent candidates were elected to the assembly this time. The NDA has a simple majority of 16 seats in the 30-member assembly.
This is the fourth time the Rangasamy occupies the top post. His party forms the government for the second time. He became chief minister for the first time in 2001 when Congress formed the government. He was also elected as Congress legislature party leader when Congress won the 2006 assembly polls and went on to become the chief minister for the second consecutive term. However, difference in opinion between him and his cabinet colleagues forced him to resign in 2008.
