Puducherry [India], April 9 : Polling is underway in Puducherry, and former Chief Minister and Congress leader V Narayanasamy cast his vote at the polling station at VOC Govt School on Thursday.
He expressed confidence that the INDI alliance would form the next government and urged citizens to turn out in large numbers to exercise their democratic right.
Speaking to the reporters, Narayanasamy said, "The people of Puducherry want the INDI alliance to come to power. I am confident that the INDI alliance will form the government here. I request the people to come in large numbers to exercise their democratic right."
Puducherry is voting for a total of 30 seats. A total of 10,14,070 electors are eligible to exercise their franchise to elect the 30-member Legislative Assembly.
The electorate comprises 5,39,125 female voters, 4,74,788 male voters, and 157 voters belonging to the Third gender category. Out of this, 24,156 voters belong to the age group of 18-19 years, while 6,034 voters belong to the senior citizen category (aged 85 and above).
In Puducherry, the contest involves the ruling NDA, which includes the All India NR Congress, the BJP and the Congress-DMK alliance. Actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is seeking to make it triangular.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) includes the All India NR Congress (AINRC) led by Chief Minister N Rangasamy, which is contesting 16 assembly constituencies, the BJP contesting 10 seats, and both the AIADMK and LJK, each contesting two seats.
The INDIA bloc includes Congress, which is contesting 16 assembly constituencies, and the DMK, contesting 14 seats. VCK, which is part of the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Tamil Nadu, has decided to contest on three assembly seats in Puducherry independently after being offered only one.
The current term of the 30-member Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory is set to expire on June 15. The counting of votes will be held on May 4, the ECI announced.
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