Chennai, May 19:
Puducherry Chief Minister and AINRC Founder-President N Rangasamy, who had won from two seats in the April 9 Territorial Assembly elections, on Monday resigned from Thattanchavady seat, while retaining the Mangalam constituency.
Rangasamy, who was sworn in as the Chief Minister on May 13, will have to resign one of the two seats and he preferred to give up his stronghold of Thattanchavady, where he defeated his bete noire, Congress leader and PCC President V.Vaithilingam, also a Lok Sabha member, pushing him to a distant fourth, in what turned out to a one-sided contest, amid expectations of a high octane contest and a tight finish.
He placed the letter resigning from the Thattanchavady seat at the Appa Paithiyam swamy temple, Gorimedu, offered special pujas and handed it over to the Legislative Assembly Secretary.
Meanwhile, AIADMK legislator from Uppalam constituency A Anbazhagan assumed office as the pro-tem speaker of the Puducherry Legislative assembly.
Lt.Governor K Kailashnathan administered the oath of affirmation to Anbazhagan at a simple function in the Lok Niwas. Vande Mathram, National Anthem and Tamizh Thai Vazhthu were recited after which Anbazhagan assumed office.