Serious differences have cropped up between ruling partners, the AINRC and the BJP, over sharing of portfolios in the NDA government in the Union Territory.The relationship between the two partners has been rocky since the start of government formation after the NDA returned to power in the Assembly elections held in April, this year in Puducherry.After the results were declared on May 4, Chief Minister and AINRC founder N. Rangasamy along with two Ministers (one from AINRC and the other from BJP) were sworn-in on May 13. A month later, three more Ministers (two from AINRC and one from BJP) were sworn-in on June 17. However, distribution of portfolios among the Cabinet members was yet to be completed. Following huge criticism on the delay in allocation of portfolios, Mr. Rangasamy after visiting Lok Niwas on July 20 told media that he had submitted the portfolio list to Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan for notification. But to date there has been no official communication on the notification of subjects allocated to the Chief Minister and five Ministers.Now, it is reliably learnt that the BJP leadership had decided not to accept the portfolios currently been allocated by the Chief Minister to their Ministers. The BJP president, V. P. Ramalingam, had on Tuesday evening met the Chief Minister to communicate the party’s stand on sharing of Cabinet berths. “There was a pre-poll agreement between both the parties to continue with the formula on Cabinet berths, Speaker post and portfolios. The list submitted by the Chief Minister on July 20 was without any consultation with our leadership. So, we have decided not to accept the portfolios. Our stand is that, nothing more or nothing less than the previous tenure,” a top BJP leader told The Hindu over phone.Not bound by old formulaThe Chief Minister, according to AINRC sources, was of the opinion that his party was not bound to follow the formula adopted during the previous tenure of the NDA because the BJP’s seats have come down by two whereas the AINRC’s numbers in the Assembly have increased by two. “Where are our 12 seats and the BJP’s 4 seats in the 30-member Puducherry Assembly,” said an AINRC leader.The AINRC leader said the Chief Minister has decided not to part with Home and some other crucial portfolios this time. “From the beginning, we have been telling the BJP that the 2021 formula cannot be followed because of their reduced tally in the present Assembly,” he added.Another BJP leader said the party’s Central leadership was aware of the urgency in forming a functional Cabinet due to the impending budget session. “We are told that Home Minister Amit Shah will talk to the Chief Minister in a day or two to arrive at a solution. However, the party will not like to continue in a Cabinet system where the Chief Minister will hold all the crucial portfolios such as Home, Finance, Revenue, Health, Town and Country Planning, Excise and Higher Education. We are very certain on that count. Such a Cabinet formation was non-existent in the country,” he said.DMK flays govt.DMK leader in the Assembly A. M. H. Nazeem in a statement on Wednesday said the portfolio allocation was the sole prerogative of the Chief Minister. “Nobody else, including the Lt. Governor, has any role in the allocation of subjects to the Ministers. If the allocation is further delayed, the Chief Minister and the Ministers should go to the Lok Niwas and submit their resignation,” he said.The delay in forming a functional Cabinet, he said, was hampering development and welfare works in the Union Territory. Published - July 29, 2026 07:04 pm IST