New Delhi: The Puducherry Assembly elections 2026 are shaping into a closely fought contest, with key candidates emerging as the centre of the political battle. The main contest is between the NDA, led by the All India N.R. Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Congress-DMK alliance. Actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has also entered the fray, making the contest triangular.
A total of 30 seats will go to polls on April 9. The Election Commission has scheduled counting of votes for May 4. The current Assembly term will end on June 15.
List of candidates
| S.No. | Candidate Name | Party | Assembly Constituency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N. Rangasamy | AINRC | Thattanchavady |
| 2 | V Vaithilingam | Congress | Thattanchavady |
| 3 | E Vinayagam | NMK | Thattanchavady |
| 4 | A Namassivayam | BJP | Mannadipet |
| 5 | GNS Rajasekaran | BJP | Thirunallar |
| 6 | T Thiagarajan | AINRC | Bahour |
| 7 | SS Rangan | DMK | Mangalam |
| 8 | K Ragubady | Congress | Mangalam |
| 9 | TPR Selvame | Congress | Mannadipet |
| 10 | K Bharathithasan | TVK | Mannadipet |
| 11 | VP Ramalingame | BJP | Raj Bhavan |
| 12 | R Kumaran | Congress | Raj Bhavan |
| 13 | Vignesh Kannan | DMK | Raj Bhavan |
| 14 | VP Sivakolundhu | AINRC | Lawspet |
| 15 | M Vaithianathan | Congress | Lawspet |
| 16 | V Saminathan | TVK | Lawspet |
| 17 | Malladi Krishna Rao | AINRC | Yanam |
| 18 | Gollapalli Srinivas Ashok | Congress | Yanam |
| 19 | Thota Raju | TVK | Yanam |
| 20 | Vaiyapuri Manikandan | AINRC | Muthiyalpet |
High number of candidates in fray
The election has drawn a large number of contestants. A total of 294 candidates are in the race. Among them, 34 are from national parties, 63 belong to state parties, 80 are from registered but unrecognised parties, and 117 are independent candidates.
Key candidates drive the contest
Several prominent candidates have become the face of this election. Leaders from the NDA alliance are banking on their governance record and organisational strength. The Congress-DMK alliance has fielded experienced leaders to regain lost ground. Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam is relying on his popularity to attract new voters, especially youth.
Past election trends
In the 2021 Assembly elections, the All India N.R. Congress emerged as the largest party with 10 seats. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam secured six seats, while the BJP and Indian National Congress won six seats each. The voter turnout stood at 84.8 per cent.
In 2016, the Congress secured a majority with 15 seats. The All India N.R. Congress won eight seats, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam got four seats, and the DMK secured two seats. Voter turnout was recorded at 83.6 per cent.
Tight contest expected
With strong alliances, new entrants and influential candidates, the Puducherry elections are expected to be closely contested. The performance of key candidates will play a major role in deciding the final outcome.