V Narayanasamy today sworn-in as the tenth chief minister of Puducherry
Former Union Minister and Congress leader V Narayanasamy today took oath as the tenth chief minister of Puducherry and said the "development of Puducherry would be my focus."
Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi administered the oath to Mr Narayanasamy and five other ministers - A Namassivayam, Malladi Krishna Rao, Shah Jahan, M Kandasamy and R Kamalakannan.
The Congress-DMK alliance won 17 of the 30 seats in the recently concluded Puducherry Assembly elections. The Congress alone had secured 15 seats.
Mr Narayanasamy did not contest the May 16 assembly polls and will have to seek election to the legislature within six months in a bypoll.
He was elected as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party on May 28.
Puducherry Congress President Namassivayam, who was also reportedly aspiring for the post of chief minister, has been made number two in the cabinet in a bid to quell rebellion. However, portfolios have not been announced as yet.
Another Chief Minister aspirant, former Chief Minister Vaithyalingam would be the Speaker.
Supporters of Mr Namassivayam had allegedly protested against Mr Narayanasamy nomination for the post of chief minister last week. Several buses were damaged in stone pelting.
Dismissing reports of rebellion against him, Mr Narayanasamy told NDTV, "Nothing wrong in a non-MLA becoming Chief Minister. This is no insult to people's mandate as there's constitutional provision. We all would work as a team ."
"When (Narendra) Modi became chief minister even he wasn't an MLA. Was he wrong ?" he added.
He also dismissed room for confrontation with Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi. "We both aspire for a prosperous Puducherry" he added. On the question of the Lt Governor banning sirens on VIP vehicles he said "I'd use my personal vehicle without a siren. My Ministers will decide on it individually."
V Narayanasamy was minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office during Manmohan Singh's second government.