The Hindu : New Delhi News : Vaithilingam denies any hitch in portfolio allocation

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Vaithilingam denies any hitch in portfolio allocation

Special Correspondent

Entire outgoing cabinet likely to be retained

V. Vaithilingam

NEW DELHI: V. Vaithilingam, who is elected new leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Puducherry, on Friday denied that there is any hitch in the allocation of portfolios as the entire outgoing cabinet is likely to be retained by him.

He was reacting to media persons’ query here on additional departments sought by outgoing Ministers E. Valsaraj, Malladi Krishna Rao and MOHF Shajahan in the new cabinet.

He hinted that Mr. A. Namasivayam, elected from the Ozhukarai constituency, might be the new face in the Ministry.

Mr. Namasivayam is the son-in-law of outgoing Chief Minister N. Rangasamy’s brother and he belongs to Vanniya community. With his appointment, the Congress wants to ensure that the caste continue to get representation in the cabinet following the exit of Mr. Rangasamy, a Vanniya. There are sizable number of Vanniya population in the Union Territory.

Mr. R. Radhakrishnan, who is the Speaker of the Assembly, is likely to continue in the post. Mr. Vaithilingam met Mr. Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, and other senior party leaders to finalise his Ministry and portfolios. He said the Puducherry administration would be revamped and all the pending projects would be speeded up.

To a question, he said all 10 MLAs of Congress would work like soldiers of the organisation.

Resignation accepted

President Pratibha Patel on Friday accepted the resignation of Mr. Rangasamy’s cabinet on the recommendations of Puducherry Lt. Governor Govind Singh Gurjar and the Union Home Ministry. Presidential approval is necessary as the Union Territory is directly under the control of the Central government.

Now the Lt. Governor would send his report on inviting Mr. Vaithilingam to form the next government which is again has to be approved by the President.

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