Power tussle in Puducherry: CM-LG truce for now

A turf war between Puducherry Lt. Governor K Kailashnathan and CM N Rangaswamy escalated into a full-blown crisis this week over the appointment of a health department director. The LG appointed S Sevvel to the post without consulting the CM, who holds the health portfolio. In protest, Rangaswamy and his AINRC ministers stayed away from office for three days.

During this period, AINRC MLAs met the Speaker and sought a special session to discuss full statehood for Puducherry. Speaker R Selvam and Home Minister A Namassivayam, both from the BJP, met Rangaswamy in an attempt to defuse the crisis. Later, BJP Puducherry in-charge Nirmal Surana stepped in and persuaded the CM to return to work.

The NDA holds 18 of Puducherry's 30 assembly seats (10 AINRC, 6 BJP, 2 Independents), while the Opposition-DMK, Congress and others-hold 12. With elections due next year, AINRC leaders told ET that BJP's growing influence and the LG's interference are sources of concern. They described the truce as a "short-lived ceasefire" and said a long-term fix from the BJP's central leadership is needed.