The counting of votes for the Puducherry assembly elections will take place on Monday, with the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the All India NR Congress (AINRC), aiming for a second consecutive term in office. The counting process is set to commence at 8 am, and given that the Union Territory comprises only 30 constituencies, clear and decisive trends are expected to emerge within a few hours.
Historic Voter Turnout
Polling was conducted in a single phase on April 9, recording a historic turnout of 89.83%. This surpassed the previous record of 85.57% set in 2011, highlighting the high level of voter engagement in the region.
Key Battles to Watch
The election features several high-profile contests that will determine the political landscape of the Union Territory. Among the most significant are:
- N Rangasamy (AINRC) vs V Vaithilingam (Congress) in Thattanchavady: This battle pits the incumbent chief minister against a former chief minister, making it a decisive contest for the Union Territory's leadership. Rangasamy, the sitting MLA from Thattanchavady, is aiming for a fifth term as chief minister, having previously held the post twice as a Congress leader. Vaithilingam, a two-time former chief minister, currently heads the Puducherry Congress unit and represents the Union Territory's lone Lok Sabha seat.
- A Namassivayam (BJP) vs TPR Selvame (Congress) in Mannadipet: The contest features Puducherry home minister and sitting MLA A Namassivayam facing former assembly deputy speaker TPR Selvame, who previously won the seat in 2011 and 2016, making this a closely watched battle.
- VP Sivakolundhu (AINRC) vs M Vaithianathan (Congress) vs V Saminathan (TVK) in Lawspet: The Lawspet assembly constituency witnessed a three-way battle between assembly speaker Sivakolundhu, incumbent legislator Vaithianathan, and Saminathan, a former Puducherry BJP president who finished as the runner-up in 2021.
- A Johnkumar (BJP) vs L Sambath (DMK) in Mudaliarpet: A Johnkumar, Puducherry's minority affairs minister, took on Sambath, the sitting MLA from the Mudaliarpet constituency.
- Gollapalli Srinivas Ashok (Congress) vs Malladi Krishna Rao (AINRC) in Yanam: In Yanam, Puducherry's constituency within Andhra Pradesh, the contest is between incumbent legislator Gollapalli Srinivas Ashok and veteran leader Malladi Krishna Rao, who held the seat for five consecutive terms from 1996 to 2016 (twice as an Independent and thrice with the Congress).
The results of these key fights will likely shape the formation of the next government in Puducherry. As counting progresses, all eyes remain on the electoral outcome, with the NDA hoping to retain power and the opposition seeking to unseat the ruling coalition.
