Pondy Cabinet expansion: five ministers inducted

Pondicherry, May 29 : The ten-day-old Rangasamy Cabinet in Pondicherry was expanded today with the induction of five ministers.

Lt Governor M M Lakhera administered the oath of office and secrecy to Ministers V Vaithilingam, E Valsaraj, M O H F Shajahan, Malladi Krishna Rao and Angalan at a function at the Gandhi Thidal here.

For the first time, the venue for the swearing-in of the Ministers was shifted to the Gandhi Thidal from the Raj Nivas to accomodate more supporters of the Ministers.

AICC General Secretaries B K Hariprasad and V Narayanasamy, Party Secretary Sudhakar Reddy, Chief Minister N Rangasamy, PCC President P Shanmugham, MLAs and leaders of various political parties attended the swearing in.

Mr V Vaithilingam, was the Chief Minister for five years from 1991 while Mr Valsaraj was a Minister twice earlier.

The other three Ministers are new comers. For the first time, Yanam region got a ministerial representation when Mr Malladi Krishna Rao assumed office.

With none of the four Congress candidates getting elected from Karaikal, the region has no representation in the present Ministry.

UNI

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Pondicherry Cabinet to be expanded on May 29