AINRC Retains Thattanchavady Seat in Puducherry, Congress Finishes Second

The ruling All India N.R. Congress (AINRC) retained the Thattanchavady Assembly constituency in Puducherry, with its candidate Ashok Anand winning the by-election by a margin of 8,482 votes on Friday.

Anand secured 13,358 votes, while Congress candidate E. Vinayagam finished second with 4,876 votes. The DMK’s K. Sethu Selvam came third with 2,664 votes, according to Election Commission results.

The victory strengthens the position of Chief Minister N. Rangasamy’s party, which contested the bypoll with the support of the BJP, AIADMK and Lakshiya Jananayaga Katchi.

The by-election was necessitated after Rangasamy vacated Thattanchavady, having won both the constituency and Mangalam in the April Assembly elections. He chose to retain Mangalam, leaving Thattanchavady vacant.

Anand, a former legislator, maintained a lead from the early rounds of counting and secured a decisive victory. Congress candidate Vinayagam had the backing of the Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam, while the DMK fielded Sethu Selvam.

Eleven candidates contested the bypoll, which was held on October 6. Other contestants included CPI candidate A.M. Saleem and Naam Tamilar Katchi nominee S. Karthikumari, along with candidates from other parties and Independents.

Counting began at 8 a.m. on Friday at Motilal Nehru Government Polytechnic College in Lawspet. Postal ballots were counted first, followed by votes recorded in electronic voting machines over four rounds.

A total of 21,756 electors cast their votes, including 10,056 men, 11,695 women and five third-gender voters. The constituency recorded a voter turnout of 80.81 per cent, lower than the participation recorded during the April Assembly elections.

After polling, the electronic voting machines were transported to the college and secured in a strongroom under three-tier police security ahead of counting.

The result returns Thattanchavady to the AINRC following Rangasamy’s decision to retain Mangalam, with Anand now set to represent the constituency in the Assembly.