V.P. Sivakolundhu; G.N.S. Rajasekaran; P. Rajavelu
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Two All India N.R. Congress (AINRC) legislators, P. Rajavelu and V.P. Sivakolundhu, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator G.N.S. Rajasekaran will soon be inducted into the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government headed by Chief Minister and AINRC founder N. Rangasamy in Puducherry, following approval from the Union government.Paving the way for their induction into the Cabinet, a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on June 8 said that the President has appointed the three legislators as Ministers in the Council of Ministers on the “advice” of the Chief Minister. The notification added that they would assume office as Ministers from the date of their swearing-in.Sources in Puducherry said that the swearing-in of the Ministers is likely to take place on June 17, completing the formation of the Cabinet after the NDA returned to power in the 2026 Assembly elections in the Union Territory (UT).After the NDA secured a majority, Mr. Rangasamy, along with two Ministers, was sworn in on May 13, leaving the remaining three berths vacant. The Ministers were A. Namassivayam of the BJP and Malladi Krishna Rao of the AINRC.Both parties had an understanding to continue with the power-sharing formula adopted during the NDA’s previous tenure. After the Cabinet expansion is completed, the next likely step will be the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. During the previous tenure, the BJP held the Speaker’s post, while the Deputy Speaker’s post was held by the AINRC.Who are the new Ministers?Among the three newly designated Ministers, Mr. Rajavelu, who won the reserved constituency of Nettapakkam, brings with him several decades of public life. Having entered politics after the death of his brother P. Uthiravelu, one of the prominent leaders of the UT in the 1980s, Mr. Rajavelu became a Minister at a very young age in 1990. He later served another term as Minister and also held the post of Deputy Speaker during a political career spanning more than three decades.The other AINRC legislator designated as Minister, Mr. Sivakolundhu, served as Speaker during the Congress government headed by V. Narayanasamy from 2016. In the current Assembly, he represents the Lawspet constituency in Puducherry. Mr. Sivakolundhu is the elder brother of BJP president V.P. Ramalingam.Mr. Rajasekaran, who was a nominated BJP legislator during the NDA’s previous tenure, won the Thirunallar constituency in the Karaikal region in the 2026 Assembly elections, marking his first electoral victory. Published - June 09, 2026 03:47 pm IST
