AINRC blames ally BJP for delay in Puducherry Cabinet formation

More than a month after winning the polls, Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy is yet to form the ministry and the All India N R Congress (AINRC) led by him on Thursday blamed ally BJP for the delay over its demand for the post of Deputy Chief Minister.

BJP sources, however, said with its nominee Embalam R Selvam being accommodated as Speaker, the demand for the post of Deputy CM would not be pursued "for the present". The Chief Minister-led party has come forward to part with two Ministerial berths and the union territory shall have a full-fledged ministry soon, they said. Sources in the AINRC told PTI that the BJP insisted on the induction of its representative as Deputy Chief Minister and also wanted two more posts of ministers.

Never in the past Puducherry had a Deputy CM and this demand is a major reason for the delay in Cabinet formation, sources said.

Former Industries Minister A Namassivayam is backed by the BJP for the post of Deputy Chief Minister, AINRC sources added. Namassivayam, who shifted his allegiance from Congress to the BJP in January ahead of the Assembly polls, is a close relative of Rangasamy.

The AINRC leadership has firmly rejected this demand and the party has come forward to part with only two Ministerial berths to the BJP, they said. The total number of ministers in the Puducherry Cabinet is capped at six, including the Chief Minister. In the 30-member Assembly, AINRC has 10 members and the BJP six. Main opposition DMK has six MLAs, its ally Congress two and six others are independents.

Puducherry went to polls on April 6 and the results were declared on May 2 and Rangasamy took oath as Chief Minister on May 7. However, none of his colleagues or nominees from the BJP took oath as Ministers on that day as the two allies could not iron out issues. Subsequently, Rangasamy tested positive for COVID-19 and was treated for it in a Chennai hospital. Namassivayam and former Congress legislator A John Kumar who joined the BJP in February are likely to be inducted as Ministers representing the BJP, sources indicated.

Government sources said the delay in formation of the ministry has virtually affected routine administration. Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader V Narayanasamy has said that the AINRC and BJP were not seeing eye to eye and the tussle between the partners does not augur well for the union territory.

Issues including management of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and passage of budget in the Assembly for 2021-2022 are priorities that have been ignored, he alleged. "It is sad that even after winning sizable number of seats, the constituents of NDA are at loggerheads in forming the government," he said on Wednesday.