<p>Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Sunday allotted portfolios to his ministers with BJP bagging plum portfolios like home, electricity, and education. </p>.<p>The Chief Minister has kept the crucial Health and Family Welfare portfolio with himself as the Union Territory (UT) continues to fight against the second wave of Covid-19 infections. </p>.<p>Rangasamy submitted the list of portfolios to Lt. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Sunday morning and the list was released by Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar in the evening.</p>.<p>Though five ministers, including two from the BJP, were sworn in on June 27, the differences between Rangasamy and the saffron party on the allocation of portfolios delayed the exercise. </p>.<p><strong>Read more: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/puducherry-schools-colleges-to-reopen-on-july-16-1007420.html" target="_blank">Puducherry schools, colleges to reopen on July 16</a></strong></p>.<p>Rangasamy will handle Revenue and Excise, Health and Family Welfare, Hindu Religious institutions, Science and Technology, Local Administration, and Information and Publicity among other portfolios. The no. 2 in the cabinet, Namassivayam, will handle Home, Electricity, Industries and Commerce, Education, Sports and Youth Affairs, and Sainik welfare. </p>.<p>While K Lakshminarayanan will be the new Public Works Minister, agriculture has been allotted to C Djeacoumar, Transport and Housing to Chandriga Priyanga, the first woman minister in 40 years.</p>.<p>Another BJP minister, A K Sai J Saravanan Kumar, will handle Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Urban Basic Services, Fire Services, and Minority Affairs.</p>.<p>Namassivayam is a former Congress leader who quit the V Narayanaswamy government at the fag end of its tenure ensuring its fall just days before the assembly elections were announced. </p>.<p>The BJP, after winning six seats, attempted at forming its first government in Puducherry by asking its senior ally N R Congress to support Namassivayam’s candidature but Rangasamy refused to do. The persisting differences between the two parties delayed the cabinet formation for over 50 days.</p>.<p>Though Rangasamy was sworn in as the Chief Minister on May 7, he expanded his cabinet only on June 27. <strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/puducherry-schools-colleges-to-reopen-on-july-16-1007420.html" target="_blank"> </a></strong></p>
<p>Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Sunday allotted portfolios to his ministers with BJP bagging plum portfolios like home, electricity, and education. </p>.<p>The Chief Minister has kept the crucial Health and Family Welfare portfolio with himself as the Union Territory (UT) continues to fight against the second wave of Covid-19 infections. </p>.<p>Rangasamy submitted the list of portfolios to Lt. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Sunday morning and the list was released by Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar in the evening.</p>.<p>Though five ministers, including two from the BJP, were sworn in on June 27, the differences between Rangasamy and the saffron party on the allocation of portfolios delayed the exercise. </p>.<p><strong>Read more: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/puducherry-schools-colleges-to-reopen-on-july-16-1007420.html" target="_blank">Puducherry schools, colleges to reopen on July 16</a></strong></p>.<p>Rangasamy will handle Revenue and Excise, Health and Family Welfare, Hindu Religious institutions, Science and Technology, Local Administration, and Information and Publicity among other portfolios. The no. 2 in the cabinet, Namassivayam, will handle Home, Electricity, Industries and Commerce, Education, Sports and Youth Affairs, and Sainik welfare. </p>.<p>While K Lakshminarayanan will be the new Public Works Minister, agriculture has been allotted to C Djeacoumar, Transport and Housing to Chandriga Priyanga, the first woman minister in 40 years.</p>.<p>Another BJP minister, A K Sai J Saravanan Kumar, will handle Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Urban Basic Services, Fire Services, and Minority Affairs.</p>.<p>Namassivayam is a former Congress leader who quit the V Narayanaswamy government at the fag end of its tenure ensuring its fall just days before the assembly elections were announced. </p>.<p>The BJP, after winning six seats, attempted at forming its first government in Puducherry by asking its senior ally N R Congress to support Namassivayam’s candidature but Rangasamy refused to do. The persisting differences between the two parties delayed the cabinet formation for over 50 days.</p>.<p>Though Rangasamy was sworn in as the Chief Minister on May 7, he expanded his cabinet only on June 27. <strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/puducherry-schools-colleges-to-reopen-on-july-16-1007420.html" target="_blank"> </a></strong></p>