AINRC founder and head of the National Democratic Alliance in Puducherry N. Rangasamy will be sworn-in as Chief Minister of the Union Territory on Wednesday.

Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan will administer the oath at a ceremony to be held at Lok Niwas. Mr. Rangasamy will be assuming the Office of Chief Minister for the fifth time in Puducherry.

The National Democratic Alliance headed by AINRC had won 18 seats (AINRC 12, BJP 4 and one each by the AIADMK and LJK) in the 2026 Assembly elections. 

As in the last Assembly, this time too it will be a coalition Ministry with the BJP certain to get Cabinet berths. However, it was not yet clear whether the Ministers from the AINRC and the BJP will take the oath along with the Chief Minister.

In the 2021 Assembly elections, the BJP held the Speaker’s post and two Ministries. The posts of three nominated legislators and Rajya Sabha were also taken by the BJP in the previous term. 

As talks are on between the AINRC and the BJP on Cabinet formation, BJP president Nitin Nabin and Union Minister and party’s in-charge for the Union Territory elections Mansukh Mandaviya are set to reach Puducherry on Tuesday evening.

“Both the leaders will attend the swearing-in ceremony. The attendance of party’s national president gives us a feeling that at least one of our representatives will also get sworn-in along with Mr. Rangasamy on Wednesday. Otherwise also, we will get a clarity during Mr. Nabin’s visit on the nature of coalition,” a BJP functionary told The Hindu. 

Mr. Nabin during his stay in Puducherry will interact with important functionaries and attend party events. BJP in-charge for the Union Territory Nirmal Kumar Surana will also be in Puducherry for party events and to attend the swearing-in ceremony.