Puducherry: All India NR Congress (AINRC) founder N. Rangasamy on Friday met Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kailashnathan and formally staked claim to form the government in the Union Territory following the NDA’s victory in the recently concluded Assembly elections.

Rangasamy, the longest-serving Chief Minister of Puducherry, submitted a letter of support signed by members of the legislative assembly backing his claim to form the next government. According to officials, the communication has been forwarded for the President’s approval.

The development came shortly after Rangasamy was unanimously re-elected as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) legislature party in Puducherry earlier in the day.

During the same meeting, Puducherry Home Minister A. Namassivayam was elected deputy leader of the NDA legislature party.

The NDA has retained power in the Union Territory with the All India N.R. Congress winning 12 seats and the Bharatiya Janata Party securing four in the 30-member Assembly. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) won one seat.

On the opposition side, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) secured five seats, while the Indian National Congress won one. The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which made major gains in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, also opened its account in Puducherry with two seats.

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Rangasamy retained the Thattanchavady constituency with 10,024 votes, defeating his nearest rival by a margin of 4,441 votes after the counting process concluded earlier this week.

He had resigned as Chief Minister on Thursday and submitted his resignation to Lieutenant Governor Kailashnathan at Lok Bhavan ahead of the formal government formation process.

A veteran figure in Puducherry politics, Rangasamy has served as Chief Minister on multiple occasions — first from 2001 to 2008, then from 2011 to 2016, and again since May 2021. He founded the AINRC in 2011 after splitting from the Congress party.