New Delhi: New Delhi: Counting of votes for Puducherry Assembly elections to be held on Monday, verdict: National League for Democracy (NDA), led by the All India NR Congress (AINRC), seeks a second consecutive term.Counting will begin at 8 am and given that there are only 30 constituencies in the Union Territory, a clear and decisive trend is expected to emerge within hours.In the single-stage voting held on April 9, the turnout reached a historic 89.83%, exceeding the previous record of 85.57% in 2011.
Key battles to watch
N Rangasamy (AINRC) vs V Vaithilingam (Congress): The high-profile battle in Tatanchawadi pits the current chief minister against the former chief minister, making it a decisive contest for leadership of the Union Territory. Rangasamy, the current Tatanchawadi MP, is aiming to serve as chief minister for a fifth term after serving as Congress leader twice before. Vaithilingam is a two-time former chief minister who currently leads the Congress unit in Puducherry and represents Puducherry’s lone Lok Sabha seat.A Namassivayam (BJP) vs TPR Selvame (Congress): The contest in Manadipet pits Puducherry Home Minister and sitting MP A Namassivayam against former Assembly deputy speaker TPR Selvame, who won the seat in 2011 and 2016, making the battle closely watched.VP Sivakolundhu (AINRC) vs M Vaithianathan (Congress) vs V Saminathan (TVK): The Lawspet Assembly constituency is a three-way contest between Assembly Speaker Sivakolundhu, sitting MP Vaithianathan and 2021 runner-up Saminathan, the former Puducherry BJP president.A Johnkumar (BJP) vs. L Sambath (DMK): Puducherry’s Minority Affairs Minister Johnkumar replaces Sambath, the sitting MP from Mudaliarpet constituency.Gollapalli Srinivas Ashok (Congress) vs Malladi Krishna Rao (AINRC): The race in Yanam constituency in Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, is between sitting legislator Gollapalli Srinivas Ashok and veteran leader Malladi Krishna Rao, who was elected for five consecutive terms from 1996 to 2016 (twice as an independent and thrice as a Congress MP).
