The delay in electing a new Speaker and allocating portfolios to the Ministers in the National Democratic Alliance government in Puducherry was owing to the “assertiveness” now being shown by Chief Minister and AINRC founder N. Rangasamy in the NDA front in Puducherry, former Chief Minister and Congress leader V. Narayanasamy said here on Tuesday.

“There is a marked change in the approach of Mr. Rangasamy towards BJP now. He has started asserting his role in the alliance. He is the only Chief Minister after 2026 Assembly elections who has not met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the last term, he had completely surrendered to the BJP. But in the present term, he has changed his style giving indication that he is not a slave of the BJP,” Mr. Narayanasamy said addressing a press conference.

Asked whether he was appreciative of the present stand of Chief Minister, the Congress leader said he was merely stating the present stand of Mr. Rangasamy. “Highlighting the present attitude of Chief Minister does not mean that I appreciate his politics. I am opposed to the corruption by this government. The Chief Minister should discard his association with a few people operating from his office. I am not softening my stand against Mr. Rangasamy on corruption but only highlighting the change in his attitude towards the BJP,” the Congress leader said. 

Mr. Narayanasamy said there have been reports that the Chief Minister had submitted a name for the Speaker’s election to the Lieutenant Governor’s Office. However, reports claimed that the name has been rejected. The Chief Minister was also not willing to heed to the demands of the BJP on portfolio allocation, he further said.

“If the reports are true, it points towards Lt. Governor’s interference in the day-to-day affairs of the government. He is trying to help the BJP which cannot be accepted at all. On portfolio allocation, I don’t know about the agreement between the BJP and the AINRC before elections, but the Lt. Governor cannot interfere in the day-to-day affairs of an elected government,” Mr. Narayanasamy said. 

The Congress leader said the “changed” stand of the Chief Minister might be due to the developments in West Bengal and Maharashtra where regional parties such as Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) faced splits in their Parliamentary parties.

“Mr. Rangasamy must be concerned of the developments in West Bengal. So, he has started asserting himself to show that he calls the shots in Puducherry. He is making the BJP plead for the Speaker’s post and portfolios. In the last two months, he has kept the BJP waiting,” the Congress leader said. 

Asked whether the Congress would extend support to Mr. Rangasamy if he comes out of the alliance with BJP, Mr. Narayanasamy said, “I am only an individual in the party and such decisions are taken by the party leadership”. 

To a question on the Congress-DMK relationship in the Union Territory, he said the DMK’s unilateral decision to hold separate discussions with the INDIA bloc partners before seat-sharing talks during the 2026 Assembly polls led to the collapse of the alliance in the Union Territory. It was because of the DMK that the alliance got disrupted in the Assembly polls, he added.