Rangasamy resigns as Puducherry Chief Minister; set for new term after winning Assembly polls

Four days after the National Democratic Alliance retained power for the second consecutive term in Puducherry, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, on Thursday (May 7, 2026), tendered his resignation to Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan at Puducherry Lok Niwas. 

He met Mr. Kailashnathan around noon to handover resignation letter for the Lt. Governor to proceed with the next government formation.

Shortly after submitting the resignation, Mr. Rangasamy told media persons outside Lok Niwas that the letter staking claim to form the next government will be submitted to the Lt. Governor very soon. In the 2026 Assembly elections, the NDA had won 18 out of the 30 seats. 

NDA’s seat share in Puducherry

While Chief Minister’s All India N.R. Congress (AINRC) has won 12 seats, the other constituents of NDA — the Bharatiya Janata Party secured four, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi (LJK) have won one seat each in the 30 member Legislative Assembly. 

On Wednesday, the Lt. Governor had issued an order dissolving the 15^th Legislative Assembly before forming the next government. “In exercise of the powers conferred upon me by clause (b) of Sub-Section (2) of section 6 of the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963 (Central Act No.20 of 1963) I, K. Kailashnathan, Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, hereby dissolve the Legislative Assembly of Puducherry on and from the 5th May 2026,” the order read.