Former Puducherry chief minister N. Rangasamy, who took revenge on the Congress for unseating him in 2008 by sweeping to an overwhelming majority in the recently-concluded Assembly polls with his recently formed AINRC in alliance with the AIADMK, on Sunday met Lt Governor Iqbal Singh and staked claim to form government in the Union Territory.
Mr Rangasamy is likely to be sworn in as chief minister of Puducherry at a function in Raj Nivas here on Monday. The swearing in is likely to take place at 3 pm, an official source said.
It is reliably learnt that Mr Rangasamy alone will be administered the oath of office and secrecy by the Lt. Governor. The Cabinet will be formed in due course of time.
There was no immediate confirmation on whether Mr Rangasamy will head a coalition government or not. The AINRC had won 15 seats and the AIADMK five seats in the 30-member Assembly. There were strong indications, however, that Puducherry is likely to have single party rule with outside support of Independent MLA V.M.C. Sivakumar.
None of the AIADMK winners accompanied Mr Rangasamy when he met the Lt. Governor and they have also not offered any letter of support.
Mr Rangasamy, whose party bagged 15 seats in the polls, was unanimously elected as the Legislature party leader earlier in the day. Mr Sivakumar participated in the meeting to elect the Legislature party leader at a Puducherry hotel.
Mr Rangasamy then left for Raj Nivas and presented a letter of support to Lt. Governor Iqbal Singh staking claim to form the Government. DMK rebel and Independent MLA Sivakumar gave a separate letter pledging support to a government headed by Mr Rangasamy.
Emerging from the meeting, Mr Rangasamy told reporters that he had given the Lt. Governor a letter staking claim to form the government. “The date of swearing in of the new ministry will be decided and announced shortly,” he said.
Mr Rangasamy congratulated AIADMK chief J. Jayalalithaa who assumes office on Monday and also thanked the party for the cooperation it extended to the AINRC. “All the promises and assurances in the election manifesto will be implemented in letter and spirit,” he said.
The Special Component Plan meant for Scheduled Castes would be given special attention and sufficient funds would be earmarked for the plan. All the schemes that had been kept in abeyance during the past two years (when Congress was in power) would be revived.
“I will ensure that Puducherry emerges as a hut-free Union Territory and funds are provided to hut dwellers to construct concrete houses,” he said.
“Educational assistance for students will be increased. All sections of people will benefit from the massive welfare schemes that the government has decided to implement.”