Puducherry Home Minister A. Namassivayam calls on Amit Shah in New Delhi

Mr. Namassivayam skipped the Puducherry Assembly proceedings on Friday and met with the Union Home Minister; sources said the two discussed administrative matters and preparations for the Lok Sabha elections, at which the BJP plans to field a candidate from Puducherry

Puducherry Home Minister A. Namassivayam has called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Friday, March 17. Skipping the Assembly proceedings on that day, Mr. Namassivayam met the Home Minister to discuss official and party-related subjects. 

Sources close to him said Mr. Namassivayam had sought an appointment with the Union Minister and the meeting could take place only on Friday.  “There is nothing unusual [in this]. The appointment was sought many days ago. The MHA communicated about the appointment being fixed for Friday only very recently. The discussion centred around administrative matters and Lok Sabha election preparations,“ a source said. 

Mr. Namassivayam holds some of the key portfolios in the Union Territory such Home, Industries, Education, Electricity, and IT. “The Assembly session is on. He is scheduled to reply to the demands for the budget in the last week of this month. There could be some major announcements. Maybe he wants to discuss these with the MHA before speaking in the Assembly,“ the source added. 

The BJP has decided to field a candidate from Puducherry in the next Lok Sabha elections, a party leader said adding that the party had already started preparations.  “Mr. Namassivayam is very much in the scheme of things. Certainly, election preparations could have come up for discussion,’ he said.