Kamal Ghorui
PUDUCHERRY: The All India NR Congress (AINRC)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is set to retain power in the Union territory of Puducherry. Counting of votes for the 30 assembly constituencies began at 8am on Monday. The 2026 assembly polls recorded a historic voter turnout of 91.23%.NDA comprising AINRC, BJP, AIADMK and LJK has won three seats and is leading in 19 seats. A total of 16 seats is required for a simple majority in the 30-member House.AINRC founder and incumbent chief minister N Rangasamy has secured a comfortable victory in the Thattanchavady constituency, winning by a margin of 4,441 votes over his nearest rival E Vinayagam (Neyam Makkal Katchi). This margin is notably wider than his 2021 performance. Congress candidate V Vaithilingam finished a distant fourth, polling 2,990 votes.AINRC candidate E Mohandoss won by 4,061 votes in Embalam constituency. He polled 16,017 votes while his nearest rival Congress candidate M Candassamy, polled 11,956 votes. AINRC candidate C Aiyappan alias Mouttayappan won by a mere 603 votes in Ariyankuppam constituency. He polled 14,210 votes, while his nearest rival, Congress candidate Vizayalakshmy Djeamourthy, polled 13,607 votes.The INDIA bloc comprising Congress, DMK and VCK is leading in five seats, while independent candidates are leading in three seats. The bloc is engaged in a neck-and-neck battle in several constituencies, where margins remain extremely slim. The newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by actor Vijay, has emerged as a potential “kingmaker” in several close contests. TVK candidates have secured thousands of votes, significantly impacting the winning margins between the two major alliances.
