Puducherry Assembly Elections 2026 | Ruling NDA, Congress-DMK alliance or new entrant TVK, what will the Union Territory pick?

Chennai: An estimated 9.44 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the elections to the Puducherry Assembly on Thursday. The contest has turned triangular between the ruling NDA, the Congress-DMK alliance, and new comer, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) led by actor Vijay.

The polling will start at 7 am and end at 6 pm in all 1,099 polling stations across the Union Territory, which includes Karaikal district and the Mahe and Yanam enclaves.

Officials said as many as 4,836 officers and 2,791 security personnel have been deployed for the conduct of polls.

The April 9 contest will decide whether the AINRC-BJP can retain the outgoing government’s welfare edge or the Congress-DMK alliance can capitalise on the anti-incumbency. Or will the TVK from neighbouring Tamil Nadu spring a surprise?

The Congress has put the hitherto cohesive alliance in peril: Its candidates are taking on the DMK and the VCK in six constituencies, which is likely to help the AINRC-BJP alliance. Winning margins are usually slender due to the size of the electorate, as constituencies are the size of bigger cities’ corporation wards.

While the results hinge more on personal equations, local loyalties, micro-alliances, and caste factors, issues do matter. Money also plays a major role: “Cash for votes” is no secret in Puducherry, like in TN.