Puducherry's 100 days: Coalition rift slows governance, budget session in balance
More than 100 days after the results of the Puducherry Assembly election were declared on May 4, 2026, governance in the Union Territory has taken a back seat as the ruling allies — the All India N.R. Congress (AINRC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — have been engaged in a prolonged tussle over the distribution of Cabinet berths, allocation of portfolios, and the appointment of the Speaker. The second term of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, led by Chief Minister and AINRC founder N. Rangasamy, has faced significant delays in becoming fully functional.
The government was formed on May 13, with Mr. Rangasamy and two other Ministers (one from AINRC and one from BJP) being sworn in. A month later, on June 17, three more Ministers were added. However, it was not until August 5 — 84 days after the government took office — that portfolios were finally allocated. Even now, the two parties have yet to finalise a name for the Speaker's post, even as the budget session of the Assembly is set to convene on August 24.
The delay in forming a full Cabinet has meant that the administrative machinery has been running largely based on the expenditure sanction provided by the Assembly through the vote-on-account of ₹5,396 crore presented by Mr. Rangasamy in February 2026, during the previous term. Officials have been sending routine files to the Chief Minister's Office, but no major policy decisions have been taken. "The administrative machinery is running without any hindrance, though matters dealt with are routine and based on policies initiated during the previous tenure. After the swearing-in, the Chief Minister used to visit his office, but the Ministers avoided coming to office until a few days ago," a staff member of the Assembly Secretariat told The Hindu.
The dispute between the AINRC and the BJP revolves primarily around the Home portfolio. The BJP leadership has been keen on retaining the Home portfolio, as it did in the previous tenure. Chief Minister Rangasamy initially resisted but eventually yielded, giving the portfolio to BJP Minister A. Namassivayam. However, the BJP's insistence on holding the Speaker's post, as was the case during the first NDA tenure, has not been accepted by the Chief Minister so far.
The seat arithmetic in the 2026 election has been a factor in the standoff. The NDA, comprising the AINRC, BJP, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi (LJK), won 18 of the 30 Assembly constituencies across Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam. The AINRC secured 12 seats, improving its tally by two since the 2021 elections, while the BJP's count fell to four from six. The AIADMK and LJK won one seat each.
With the Assembly session scheduled to begin on August 24 for the presentation of the 2026-27 Budget, the Union Territory is heading into an unprecedented situation. If the parties fail to agree on a Speaker, the pro-tem Speaker, A. Anbalagan of the AIADMK, will have to conduct the proceedings.
The Opposition Congress, DMK and Left parties have criticised the delay in providing a functional Cabinet and electing a Speaker. M. Ramadass, president of the Puducherry Maanila Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, described the first three months of the government as an "extension" of the Model Code of Conduct imposed by the Election Commission of India for the Assembly elections. "The first three months of the fiscal have been wasted. While other four states have rolled out their programmes, we are still at the stage of presenting the budget," he said.
As the government enters its fourth month, the key challenge remains bridging the differences between the allies to ensure smooth governance and deliver on election promises. The upcoming budget session will be a critical test of the government's ability to function effectively.
