PUDUCHERRY:  V. Vaithilingam of the Congress party will be sworn in Puducherry chief minister Thursday.

He is expected to be assisted by a five-member cabinet, which is likely to include A. Namasivayam, a legislator and relative of former chief minister N. Rangasamy.

The party position in the Puducherry assembly:

Congress: 10, DMK: 7, AIADMK: 3, Puducherry Munnetra Congress: 3, Independents: 3, Communist Party of India: 1; MDMK: 1, Nominated: 3 (one each belonging to the Congress, CPI and PMK).