N Rangasamy takes oath as Puducherry Chief Minister for fifth time

AINRC founder N Rangasamy, 75, was sworn in as the Puducherry Chief Minister for the fifth time today. The swearing-in ceremony followed the NDA retaining power for a second straight term in the Union Territory.

In Short

• Puducherry Lieutenant Governor administers oath to N Rangasamy
• Two ministers sworn in as cabinet ministers in new NDA Cabinet
• NDA retained power in Puducherry with 18 seats in 30-member Assembly

All India NR Congress (AINRC) founder N Rangasamy was on Wednesday sworn in as the Puducherry CM for the fifth time after the NDA retained power in the last month's Assembly polls.

The 75-year-old took oath at a ceremony held at Lok Nivas, where Lieutenant Governor K Kailashnathan administered the oath of office and secrecy. Rangasamy took oath in the name of God.

Two ministers were also sworn in – Malladi Krishna Rao from the AINRC and A Namassivayam of the BJP. Krishna Rao took oath in Telugu as he represents Yanam, Puducherry’s enclave in Andhra Pradesh.

Senior BJP leaders, including Nitin Nabin and BL Santhosh, attended the ceremony.

On May 9, President Droupadi Murmu Rangasamy as the Chief Minister of Puducherry, days after he resigned per constitutional procedure following the NDA's victory.

The NDA retained power for the second consecutive time after the AINRC won 12 of the 16 seats it contested and the BJP secured four seats. Along with one seat each won by the AIADMK and Lakshiya Jananayaga Katchi, the NDA tally reached 18 in the 30-member Assembly.

The opposition DMK won five seats and the Congress one. The fledgling TVK, which is in power in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, won two seats.

- Ends
(with inputs from PTI)