With the Puducherry Assembly election results announced on May 4, exit poll forecasts on Wednesday gave the NDA alliance an advantage over its rivals. According to the People’s Pulse forecast, the NDA alliance is likely to retain power with 15-19 seats, putting it in a strong position in the 30-member Puducherry UT Parliament.
According to the People’s Pulse exit poll for the 2026 Puducherry Assembly elections, the All India NR Congress (AINRC) is expected to emerge as the leading party with 10-12 seats. Its NDA partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is expected to get 5-6 seats.
She says the DMK can win between 6-8 seats. Congress is expected to get 1-3 seats.
Small parties are likely to have limited impact, with the LJK and others expected to win 2 seats each, and the AIADMK and TVK expected to get 0-1 seat each.
According to exit poll forecasts by Axis My India, the NDA is expected to get between 16 and 20 seats. The DMK-Congress led alliance is expected to win 6 to 8 seats, while actor Vijay’s TVK party could get 2 to 4 seats.
Voting was held in Puducherry across 30 assembly constituencies on April 9. The Congress is contesting as part of an alliance with the DMK and CPI, while the All India NR Congress (AINRC), BJP and AIADMK are together.
AINRC emerged as the largest party in 2021
In the 2021 Puducherry Assembly elections, AINRC emerged as the single largest party with 10 seats. The DMK won six seats, while the BJP and Congress won six seats each.
In the 2016 Assembly elections, the Congress won 15 seats, followed by AINRC 8 seats, AIADMK 4 seats and DMK 2 seats, with voter turnout at 83.6 per cent.
This year, Puducherry recorded a historic voter turnout of 89.87 percent, the highest since 1964, when the first elections were held after the territory’s merger with India. Officials described the participation rate as unprecedented.
The main candidates
Among the key contests, AINRC leader and CM N Rangasamy faces a challenge from V Vaithilingam, Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee president and Lok Sabha MP, in Thattanchavady constituency.
Rangasamy is also contesting from Mangalam seat.
Home Minister Namasivayam is seeking re-election from Manadipet, where former MP TBR Selvam is contesting on a Congress ticket.
There are 294 candidates competing in the elections, including 40 female candidates and 117 independents, competing through the 30-member regional assembly.
The polling process across the Union Territory, including its enclaves like Karaikal, remained largely peaceful. While the NDA aims to retain power in Puducherry, the Congress-led alliance is trying to regain control.
