PUDUCHERRY: All India NR Congress (AINRC) founder N Rangasamy was officially elected as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) legislative group during a meeting of the alliance's elected representatives held on Friday. The representatives of all constituent parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJK), handed over formal letters of support, unanimously electing Rangasamy as the head of the coalition.
Claim to Form Government
Immediately after the meeting, Rangasamy called on Lieutenant Governor K Kailashnathan and submitted the letters of support from the elected members of the NDA, staking his claim to form the government. The MLAs of the alliance partners accompanied him during this submission.
"I have submitted the letter requesting the Lieutenant Governor to invite the NDA to form the government," Rangasamy told reporters after the meeting. "I will be taking the oath as Chief Minister on the morning of May 13."
Portfolio Allocation and Cabinet Formation
Rangasamy remained tight-lipped about the allocation of portfolios among the alliance partners. He declined to comment on the possibility of creating a Deputy Chief Minister post or the inclusion of the TVK party in the cabinet. He stated that the names of the Speaker and ministers would be revealed only at the time of the appointment.
However, Puducherry BJP president V P Ramalingame claimed that a preliminary agreement between AINRC and the BJP had been reached. "As in the previous term, we requested the post of Assembly Speaker and two ministerial berths for the BJP. We have reached an understanding on this during our negotiations," Ramalingame said.
NDA's Majority in Assembly
The NDA secured a comfortable majority by winning 18 out of 30 seats in the Union Territory. AINRC, which leads the NDA, bagged 12 seats. The other constituents performed as follows: the BJP secured four seats, while the AIADMK and LJK won one seat each. With a requirement of only 16 seats for a simple majority, the NDA, with 18 members, is well-positioned to establish a stable government.
Key Attendees at the Meeting
Union Minister and BJP observer Mansukh Mandaviya, Puducherry BJP legislative party leader A Namassivayam, Puducherry AIADMK secretary Anbalagan, and LJK founder Jose Charles Martin attended the meeting that elected Rangasamy as the NDA leader.
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