GUWAHATI: All India N.R. Congress (AINRC) leader N. Rangasamy on Wednesday, May 13, took oath as the Chief Minister of Puducherry for the fifth time, leading the AINRC-led NDA government in the Union Territory.
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Two cabinet ministers were also sworn in alongside him, Malladi Krishna Rao from the All India N.R. Congress (AINRC) and A. Namassivayam of the BJP.
Puducherry Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Rangasamy and the newly inducted ministers.
The 76-year-old leader had earlier served as Puducherry Chief Minister from 2001 to 2006 and again from 2006 to 2008 as a Congress leader. After founding the All India N.R. Congress, he returned to power and served as Chief Minister from 2011 to 2016, heading the AINRC-BJP alliance government.
In the recent Assembly elections, Rangasamy contested from two constituencies, Thattanchavady and Mangalam, and secured victories in both seats. He defeated E. Vinyagam of the Neyam Makkal Kazhagam in Thattanchavady by 4,441 votes, while in Mangalam he defeated DMK candidate S. S. Rangan by a margin of 7,050 votes.
Of the 30 Assembly constituencies in Puducherry, the ruling AINRC contested 16 seats, while its ally BJP contested 10. AIADMK and LJK contested two seats each as part of the alliance arrangement.