Puducherry election results: AINRC-led NDA leads in early trends
What's the story
The counting of votes for the 2026 Puducherry Assembly elections began at 8:00am on Monday. Early trends indicate that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the All India NR Congress, is ahead in 13 seats while the Congress and TVK are leading in two seats each. The Puducherry Assembly has 33 seats, including three nominated by the Union government. A party or alliance needs to secure 17 seats for a majority after these nominations.
Election details
Puducherry polls held on April 9
The elections were held on April 9, with a record voter turnout of 91.2%. This was a significant increase from the previous record of 86% in 2006. The NDA is contesting against the Secular Progressive Alliance, which includes Congress and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The TVK, led by actor Vijay, has also entered the fray as a third force in this election.
Exit polls
Exit polls forecast NDA to retain power
Exit polls predict that the NDA will retain power, with projections of winning 16-20 seats. The Congress-DMK alliance is expected to win 6-8 seats and TVK 2-4 seats. The rise of TVK among younger voters could change traditional voting patterns in Puducherry. In the 2021 elections, exit polls had predicted an NDA advantage, which was confirmed in the final results.