Puducherry: P Rajavelu, V P Sivakolundhu and G N S Rajasekaran, belonging to the AINRC and BJP, were sworn in as ministers by Puducherry Lt Governor K Kailashnathan at a ceremony held at Lok Niwas here on Wednesday.

All three ministers took the oath of office and secrecy, marking the expansion of the Rangasamy-led ministry.

The newly inducted ministers bring significant legislative experience to the cabinet.

While Rajavelu is a former Deputy Speaker of the territorial assembly, Sivakolundhu is a former Speaker.

Rajasekaran was elected in the April 9 Assembly polls from Tirunallar in the Karaikal region.

Before the oaths were administered, Chief Secretary Sharat Chauhan read out the Home Ministry’s notification on the appointment of three members as Ministers of Puducherry.

The notification was issued by President Droupadi Murmu on June 8.

The ceremony was attended among others by legislators, officials and delegates of different organisations.

The induction of these MLAs into the Rangasamy-led cabinet brings the total number of ministers to six. Traditionally, Puducherry has a six-member cabinet.

Rangasamy was sworn in as Chief Minister on May 13 along with the BJP legislature party leader A Namassivayam and the AINRC legislator Malladi Krishna Rao elected from Yanam an enclave of Puducherry in Andhra Pradesh.