Puducherry gets its first woman minister in over four decades with the induction of AINRC legislator Chandira Priyanga in the N. Rangasamy-led coalition cabinet.
Late Congress leader Renuka Appadurai was the last woman minister from the Union Territory during the 1980-83 period. She was the Education Minister of the DMK-led coalition ministry.
Chandira Priyanga is also one of the youngest ministers in the Puducherry cabinet. She is also the first SC women in the cabinet.
Ending over a month-long suspense over cabinet formation, five ministers, including two from the BJP, were inducted in the Chief Minister N. Rangasamy-led NDA cabinet on Sunday. A. Namassivayam, K. Lakshminarayanan, C. Djeacoumar, Chandira Priyanga and A.K. Sai J Saravana Kumar were sworn in as ministers by Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan.
Lakshminarayanan, Djeacoumar and Priyanga represent lead partner AINRC, while Namassivayam and Saravana Kumar are from its ally BJP.
This is the first time the saffron party is part of a Ministry in the Union Territory.