PUDUCHERRY: Two weeks on as Chief Minister and Rangasamy is still bereft of a cabinet unlike his counterparts in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam, who have a fully functional cabinet of ministers up and running. Naturally, this has led to many administrative hiccups. Take for instance the decision on the seat sharing policy for self-financing medical admissions which still remains pending.Rangasamy is keeping everyone guessing with regard to the ministry by promising to appoint ministers ‘soon’. However, the real reason is that Rangasamy himself is in a dilemma. With a wafer thin majority after AINRC snapped ties with its electoral ally AIADMK, he is not sure whether AINRC with the support of an Independent should form the ministry or look for support from Congress or make up with AIADMK. Though he has been trying to make up with AIADMK , Jayalalitha has not responded so far. On the other hand, he is yet to make up his mind with regard to the Congress. Puducherry being a Union Territory, he needs the support and goodwill from the Congress government at the Centre to draw funds, schemes and approvals for various projects. However, he is dreadful of the fact that an alliance with Congress would lead to inclusion of Congressmen in the cabinet. Going by his experiences in the previous government, when his removal was due to revolt by cabinet colleagues, his attitude is ‘once bitten twice shy’. Of course, there would be other equations that would have to be worked out amicably if an alliance has to be forged, given the fact that the Congress would want a Congress government in power. Already, AICC president Sonia Gandhi has congratulated Rangasamy on his victory after elections. Now it would be for him to make a move if he wants to join hands with Congress. But nothing is happening at present, said sources. Another aspect is that he is enjoying the freedom to take decisions on his own and is, therefore, having second thoughts to surrender himself to Congress again and lose independence. Moreover, if he were to constitute a ministry with AINRC men, it will not be easy as the aspirants are too many. As the party was formed just two months before the elections, most of the MLAs who got elected joined the party during that time. A good number of them are first-time MLAs and most of them have no prior experience as ministers. Some of them (five ) even have criminal cases pending against them. However, he would have to make up his mind sooner or later.
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