2026 Puducherry Legislative Assembly election

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Last edited April 30, 2026


2026 Puducherry Legislative Assembly election
← 2021 9 April 2026 2031 →
30[lower-alpha 1] of 33 seats in the Puducherry Legislative Assembly
17 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered9,50,311 (Decrease 6.01%)[1]
Turnout89.87% (Increase 6.43 pp)[2]
 
The Chief Minister of Puducherry, Shri N. Rangaswamy calling on the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on March 16, 2015 (N. Rangaswamy) (cropped).jpg
Vaithilingam.jpg
Leader N. Rangaswamy V. Vaithilingam
Party All India N.R. Congress INC
Alliance NDA SPA
Leader since 2011 2023
Leader's seat Thattanchavady
Mangalam 		Thattanchavady
Last election 25.85%, 10 seats 15.71%, 2 seats
Current seats 10 4
Seats needed Increase 6 Increase 12
Current Alliance seats 19 11
Alliance seats needed Steady Increase 5
Map of the assembly constituencies in Puducherry
Incumbent Chief Minister

N. Rangaswamy
AINRC



Legislative Assembly elections were held in Puducherry on 9 April 2026 to elect all the 30 members of the Puducherry Legislative Assembly. The votes will be counted and the results will be declared on 4 May 2026.

The election recorded a voter turnout of 89.87%, the highest ever for an assembly election in the union territory.

Background[edit | edit source]

Elections to a Legislative Assembly in India are usually held once in five years, and the members of the legislative assembly are directly elected to serve five year terms from single-member constituencies.

The tenure of Puducherry Legislative Assembly is scheduled to end on 15 June 2026.[3] In the previous assembly elections held in April 2021, the All India N.R. Congress-led National Democratic Alliance formed the state government after winning 16 out of 30 seats in the assembly, with N. Rangaswamy sworn in as the Chief Minister.[4]

In the later part of 2025, the Election Commission of India conducted a Special Intensive Revision after 24 years, to revise the electoral rolls.[5]

Schedule[edit | edit source]

The Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the election on 15 March 2026.[6]

Event Date
Date for Nomination 16 March 2026
Last date for filing nominations 23 March 2026
Scrutiny of nominations 24 March 2026
Last date for withdrawal of nomination 26 March 2026
Polling 9 April 2026
Counting of votes 4 May 2026
Deadline for the completion of election process 6 May 2026

Parties and alliances[edit | edit source]

National Democratic Alliance[edit | edit source]

National Democratic Alliance seat sharing map

The seat sharing for the National Democratic Alliance was finalised on 20 March 2026.[7]

National Democratic Alliance[7]
Party Flag Symbol Leader Seats
All India N.R. Congress N. Rangasamy[8] 16[7]
Bharatiya Janata Party File:BJP flag.svg V. P. Ramalingame[9] 10[7]
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam A. Anbalagan[10] 2[7]
Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi File:LJK Puducherry Logo.jpg Jose Charles Martin[11] 2[7]
Total 30

Secular Progressive Alliance[edit | edit source]

Secular Progressive Alliance seat sharing map

As per the seat-sharing agreement finalised on 23 March 2026, the Indian National Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) agreed to contest in 17 and 13 seats respectively.[12][13] However, the Congress had already fielded candidates in five seats allocated to the DMK, which resulted in friendly contests between the two parties in these five constituencies.[14]

The DMK allocated one seat from its quota to the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK). However, the VCK announced its exit from the alliance on 24 March 2026 citing seat-sharing disagreements.[15] However, on 6 April, the VCK announced that apart from the Oulgret constituency allocated to it, it will support the coalition candidates in the other three seats, where it had already fielded candidates.[16]

Secular Progressive Alliance
Party Flag Symbol Leader Seats
Indian National Congress V. Vaithilingam 21[12][14]
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam R. Siva 13[12]
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi Deva Pozhilan[17] 4[16]
Total 30+8[lower-alpha 2]

TVK–led Alliance[edit | edit source]

On 22 March 2026, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) announced its candidates for 30 constituencies in Puducherry.[18] Subsequently, Neyam Makkal Kazhagam, led by G. Nehru Kuppusamy, joined the TVK-led Alliance and was allocated two seats.[19]

TVK-led Alliance
Party Flag Symbol Leader Seats
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam Vijay[19] 28[19]
Neyam Makkal Kazhagam G. Nehru Kuppusamy[19] 2[19]
Total 30

SNMMK–AIPTMMK Alliance[edit | edit source]

On 20 March 2026, the S. Ramadoss-led faction of the Pattali Makkal Katchi, formed an alliance with All India Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AIPTMMK), led by V. K. Sasikala, for the assembly elections in Puducherry.[20] On 25 March 2026, a seat-sharing agreement was signed between G. Sathiyamoorthy of Sengol Needhi Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam and Sasikala of AIPTMMK for the elections.[21][22]

SNMMK–AIPTMMK Alliance
Party Flag Symbol Leader Seats
Sengol Needhi Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam Sathiyamurthy 10[21]
All India Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam V. K. Sasikala[23] 4[22]
Total 14

Others[edit | edit source]

On 7 March 2026, Naam Tamilar Katchi was the first party to announce its candidates for the elections, and announced its intention to contest in 28 of the 30 constituencies in the union territory.[24] The Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Communist Party of India, which are part of the Secular Progressive Alliance in Tamil Nadu, withdrew from the alliance and independently fielded candidates in four and two constituencies respectively.[14]

Party Flag Symbol Leader Seats
Naam Tamilar Katchi File:NTK Party Symbol.png Seeman[25] 28[24]
Communist Party of India S. Ramachandran[26] 4[14]
Communist Party of India A. M. Saleem[27] 2[14]

Candidates[edit | edit source]

District No. Constituency NDA SPA TVK+
Party Candidate Party Candidate[lower-alpha 3] Party Candidate
Puducherry 1 Mannadipet BJP A. Namassivayam INC T. P. R. Selvame Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam K. Bharathithasan
2 Thirubuvanai (SC) All India N.R. Congress B. Kobiga DMK P. Angalane Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam A. K. Sai J. Saravanan Kumar
3 Ossudu (SC) BJP E. Theeppainthan INC P. Karthikeyan Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam S. Saraganabava
4 Mangalam All India N.R. Congress N. Rangasamy DMK S. S. Rangan Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam M. K. Sathia Manikkavasagane
5 Villianur All India N.R. Congress Ravikumar DMK R. Siva Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam R. Ramesh
6 Ozhukarai All India N.R. Congress K. Narayanasamy Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi Selva. Pushpalatha Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam Sasibalan
7 Kadirkamam All India N.R. Congress K. S. P. Ramesh DMK P. Vadivelu Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam Jayanthi Rajavelu
8 Indira Nagar All India N.R. Congress A. K. D. Arumugam INC N. Rajakumar Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam S. Mourougane
9 Thattanchavady All India N.R. Congress N. Rangasamy INC V. Vaithilingam Neyam Makkal Kazhagam E. Vinayagam
10 Kamaraj Nagar LJK Jose Charles Martin INC P. K. Devadoss Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam Suman
11 Lawspet All India N.R. Congress V. P. Sivakolundhu INC M. Vaithianathan Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam V. Saminathan
12 Kalapet BJP P. M. L. Kalyanasundaram DMK A. Senthil Ramesh Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam D. Sasikumar
13 Muthialpet All India N.R. Congress Vaiyapuri Manikandan INC M. Rajendran Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam J. Prakash Kumar
14 Raj Bhavan BJP V. P. Ramalingame DMK Vignesh Kannan Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam V. J. Chandran
15 Oupalam AIADMK A. Anbalagan DMK Annibal Kennedy Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam S. Siva
16 Orleampeth AIADMK A. Gandhi DMK S. Gopal Neyam Makkal Kazhagam G. Nehru Kuppusamy
17 Nellithope LJK A. Jayakumar DMK V. Karthikeyan Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam S. Vigneshwaran
18 Mudaliarpet BJP A. Johnkumar DMK L. Sambath Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam N. Manibalan
19 Ariankuppam All India N.R. Congress Aiyappan INC D. Vijayalakshmy Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam Kumaravelu
20 Manavely BJP Embalam R. Selvam INC R. K. R. Anantharaman Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam B. Ramu
21 Embalam (SC) All India N.R. Congress Mohamdaoss INC M. Kandaswamy Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam V. Tamilselvan
22 Nettapakkam (SC) All India N.R. Congress Rajavelu INC P. Sadasivam Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam L. Periasamy
23 Bahour All India N.R. Congress T. Thiagarajan DMK R. Senthilkumar Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam N. Dhanavelou
Karaikal 24 Nedungadu (SC) All India N.R. Congress Chandira Priyanga INC Dinesh Kumar Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam U. Kamaraj
25 Thirunallar BJP G. N. S. Rajasekaran INC R. Kamalakannan Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam A. Raja Mohamed
26 Karaikal North All India N.R. Congress P. R. N. Thirumurugan INC A. M. Ranjith Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam A. Vengadesh
27 Karaikal South BJP M. Arulmurugan DMK A. M. H. Nazeem Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam K. A. U. Assana
28 Neravy T. R. Pattinam BJP T. K. S. M. Meenatchisundaram DMK M. Nagathiyagarajan Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam Pranadarti Gareswaran
Mahe 29 Mahe BJP A. Dineshan INC Ramesh Parambath Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam Prijesh M
Yanam 30 Yanam All India N.R. Congress Malladi Krishna Rao INC Gollapalli Srinivas Ashok Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam Thota Raju

Surveys and polls[edit | edit source]

Exit polls[edit | edit source]

Seat projections
Polling agency Date published Lead
NDA SPA TVK+ Others
Axis My India[28] 29 April 2026 16-20 6-8 2-4 1-3 8-14
Kamakhya Analytics[28] 17-24 4-7 1-2 0-1 10-20
People's Pulse[28] 16-19 10-12 0 1-2 4-9
Praja Poll[28] 19-25 6-10 0 0 9-19
JVC[28] 15-17 11-13 1-2 0-1 2-6

Voting[edit | edit source]

According to the Election Commission of India, 9,50,311 voters were eligible to vote in the assembly elections in Puducherry. This includes 4,46,361 male, 5,03,810 female, and 140 third gender voters.[1] The polling was held on 9 April 2026 and the election recorded a voter turnout of 89.87%, the highest ever for an assembly election in the union territory.[2]

Results[edit | edit source]

By alliance or party[edit | edit source]

Alliance/ Party Popular vote Seats
Votes % ±pp Contested Won Change
NDA All India N.R. Congress 16
Bharatiya Janata Party 10
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 2
Latchiya Jananayaka Katchi 2
Total 30
Secular Progressive Alliance Indian National Congress 21
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 13
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi 4
Total 30[lower-alpha 2]
TVK+ Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam 28
Neyam Makkal Kazhagam 2
Total 30
Other parties
Independents
NOTA
Total 100% — — 30 —

By district[edit | edit source]

District Seats
NDA SPA TVK+ Others
Puducherry 23
Karaikal 5
Mahe 1
Yanam 1
Total 30

By constituency[edit | edit source]

District Constituency Winner Runner-up Margin
No. Name Candidate Party Votes % Candidate Party Votes %
Puducherry 1 Mannadipet
2 Thirubuvanai (SC)
3 Ossudu (SC)
4 Mangalam
5 Villianur
6 Ozhukarai
7 Kadirkamam
8 Indira Nagar
9 Thattanchavady
10 Kamaraj Nagar
11 Lawspet
12 Kalapet
13 Muthialpet
14 Raj Bhavan
15 Oupalam
16 Orleampeth
17 Nellithope
18 Mudaliarpet
19 Ariankuppam
20 Manavely
21 Embalam (SC)
22 Nettapakkam (SC)
23 Bahour
Karaikal 24 Nedungadu (SC)
25 Thirunallar
26 Karaikal North
27 Karaikal South
28 Neravy T. R. Pattinam
Mahé 29 Mahe
Yanam 30 Yanam

Notes[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Three members are nominated by the Lieutenant Governor.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Friendly contests in eight constituencies.
  3. ↑ The constituent parties of the Secular Progressive Alliance are engaged in a friendly fight in eight constituencies. This lists only the officially recognised candidates in the respective seats allocated to the constituent parties as per the seat sharing agreement between them.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Puducherry publishes final electoral roll; over 9.4 lakh voters registered". Madhyam. 14 February 2026. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Puducherry records highest ever voter turnout of 89.87% in Assembly elections Puducherry records highest ever voter turnout of 89.87% in Assembly elections". All India Radio. 10 April 2026. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  3. ↑ "Term of the Houses". Election Commission of India. Archived from the original on 7 August 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  4. ↑ "NR Congress-BJP alliance emerges victorious in Puducherry assembly polls". Business Standard. 3 May 2021. Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  5. ↑ "SIR rollout schedule announced in Puducherry". The Hindu. 29 October 2025. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  6. ↑ "Puducherry election dates: Voting on April 9, results on May 4". The Hindustan Times. 15 March 2026. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 "Puducherry Assembly Polls: AINRC, BJP Seat Sharing Deal". Deccan Herald. 20 March 2026. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  8. ↑ "Puducherry: BJP draws clear strategy to fight the election in alliance with CM Rangaswamy's AINRC". The Week. 14 February 2026. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  9. ↑ "Mansukh Mandaviya appointed BJP in-charge for Puducherry ahead of 2026 polls". The Economic Times. 19 April 2025. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  10. ↑ "AIADMK seeks reshuffle of police officers working in suburban and rural areas in Puducherry". The Hindu. 4 July 2025. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
  11. ↑ "Businessman Jose Charles Martin floats new party in Puducherry". The Hindu. 14 December 2025. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 "Puducherry polls: Congress-DMK seal seat-sharing pact; sitting MP Vaithilingam to take on CM Rangasamy". India TV. 23 March 2026. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  13. ↑ "Puducherry Assembly election 2026: Congress, DMK leaders to meet again for seat-sharing talks". The Hindu. 15 March 2026. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 "Friendly contest' clouds INDIA bloc's prospects in Puducherry". The New Indian Express. 26 March 2026. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  15. ↑ "Puducherry elections 2026: Upset VCK exits DMK-Congress alliance, decides to contest alone". The Hindu. 25 March 2026. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "VCK to contest only in Oulgaret constituency in Puducherry". The New Indian Express. 6 April 2026. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  17. ↑ "VCK workers stage demonstration". The Hindu. 5 March 2025. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
  18. ↑ "புதுச்சேரி தேர்தலுக்கான த.வெ.க. வேட்பாளர் பட்டியல் வெளியீடு" [TVK releases candidate list for Puducherry elections]. Daily Thanthi (in தமிழ்). 22 March 2026. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 "TVK Alliance in Puducherry". News18. 23 March 2026. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  20. ↑ "Ramadoss-led PMK, Sasikala''s outfit join forces for Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry". ThePrint. 20 March 2026. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "புதுச்சேரியில் செங்கோல் நீதி மக்கள் முன்னேற்றக் கழகத்துடன் சசிகலாவின் புதிய கட்சி கூட்டணி..!" [Sasikala Joined hands with another party in Puducherry]. Dinakaran (in தமிழ்). 25 March 2026. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "புதுச்சேரி தேர்தலிலும் களம் காணும் சசிகலா: 4 தொகுதிகளில் போட்டி" [Sasikala's Alignment on Pondicherry seat sharing]. Maalai Malar (in தமிழ்). 26 March 2026. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  23. ↑ "Sasikala announces her party's name: All India Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam". The Hindu. 13 March 2026. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "NTK announces candidates for Assembly polls in Puducherry". The Hindu. 7 March 2026. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  25. ↑ "Seeman backs TVK chief on UT's statehood". DT Next. 9 December 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  26. ↑ "CPI (M) demands scrapping of Smart Meter project in Puducherry". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 28 October 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  27. ↑ "Saleem re-elected secretary of CPI's Puducherry unit". The Hindu. 3 September 2025. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 "NDA To Get Second Straight Term In Puducherry With 16-20 Of 30 Seats: Axis My India Exit Poll". NDTV. 29 April 2026. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
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