Puducherry Congress leader V. Narayanasamy on Friday (July 11, 2025) accused Chief Minister N. Rangasamy of “feigning” a feud with the Raj Nivas over the appointment of the Director of Health and Family Welfare Services, only as a means of “putting pressure on the Lt. Governor to grant permits for liquor blending bottling units” in the Union Territory (UT).

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Narayanasamy claimed the real motive behind Mr. Rangasamy and the AINRC leaders raising a furore over the Lt. Governor appointing senior-most physician S. Sevvel as Health Director, instead of the Chief Minister’s nominee, was to resort to pressure tactics to get their way with the liquor permits.

“The appointment of Mr. Sevvel was not the real issue for the Chief Minister. Mr Rangasamy tried to create a situation to put pressure on the Lt. Governor to clear files for issuing permits to start six liquor blending and bottling units. The file related to the bottling units and sanction for more liquor outlets are pending with Lt. Governor. His pressure tactics did not work with the Lt. Governor,” the former Chief Minister told the media.

For almost two days, the Chief Minister gave an impression that he was unhappy with the Lt. Governor for not clearing his choice for the post of Director of Health and Family Welfare Services. The Chief Minister had recommended Deputy Director (Health) V. Anandalakshmi for the post. However, Dr. Sevvel was appointed based on rules and procedures, he said.

Mr. Narayanasamy said after the appointment order was issued, the Chief Minister made a big issue but later acquiesced following the talks held by BJP in-charge Nirmal Kumar Surana. “If he was really disappointed over the appointment, he should have resigned. However, the Chief Minister surrendered to the BJP because his pressure tactics on clearing liquor files did not materialise,” he said.

Referring to AINRC legislators meeting with Speaker R. Selvam, demanding the convening of the Assembly to discuss Statehood, after the order appointing Mr. Sevvel came, the Congress leader said Mr. Rangasamy rakes up Statehood issue whenever he finds it convenient.

“In 2014, the Chief Minister had extended unconditional support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has been Chief Minister for almost six years when Mr. Modi served as Prime Minister. After failing to take up the issue of Statehood seriously with the Prime Minister, he has now raised it again for his convenience. He has not been serious on getting Statehood; his only interest is to protect Chief Minister’s chair,” the Congress leader alleged.

Recalling the all-party delegation he led to Delhi on the demand for Statehood when he was Chief Minister, the Congress leader said Mr. Rangasamy, who was then the Opposition leader, did not join the group. “All the political parties deputed members to become part of the delegation but Mr. Rangasamy did not, due to reasons best known to him. He is now staging a drama, but it is not working. The people of the UT will give a befitting reply to the AINRC-BJP alliance in the 2026 polls,” he said.

‘BJP’s Hindutva is fake’

He also flayed the BJP-AINRC government for removing two Scheduled Caste (SC) representatives from the Cabinet. “Two Dalit legislators have been removed from the Ministry. There is no Dalit representation in the Cabinet, and it has never happened in the past in the UT. There is talk of making a legislator, who has come under criticism from the High Court in a temple land grab case, as the next Minister instead of the Dalit member removed from the Cabinet. It shows the BJP’s Hindutva is fake,” he said.