Puducherry polls: On back of ally, BJP finds another key opening in South

A Namassivayam of the BJP emerged victorious from Mannadipet constituency after defeating his DMK rival A Krishnan

The NR Congress on Sunday won eight seats in Puducherry and its ally BJP secured four while the Congress-led Secular Democratic Alliance (SDA) emerged victorious in three constituencies as the counting continued for the votes polled in the April 6 elections.

As the results for 14 out of 30 assembly seats were declared, the AINRC bagged eight, BJP three, DMK one and Congress two, the Election Commission said.

A Namassivayam ofBJP emerged victorious from Mannadipet constituency after defeating his DMK rival A Krishnan.

Namassivayam, who shifted his allegiance to the saffron party in January this year after quitting the Congress, contested the April 6 poll from Mannadipet seat as BJP nominee.

The former minister polled 14,939 votes while his rival secured 12,189 votes.

A green horn in poll battle, U Lakshmikandhan of AINRC wrested the Embalam (reserved) segment from Congress by defeating its candidate and former Welfare Minister M Kandasamy.

Chief Electoral Officer Shurbir Singh told PTI that the BJP nominee A John Kumar was declared elected from Kamaraj Nagar.

Kumar defeated his immediate Congress rival and former Industries Minister M O H F Shah Jahan.

John Kumar was elected from Kamaraj Nagar in the by election held in November 2019 on Congress ticket.

He has now retained the segment but on different party ticket.

Kumar joined BJP in February after quitting Congress and contested the April 6 poll locking horns with former Industries Minister.

M Vaithianathan of Congress defeated BJP's V Saminathan, who is president of Puducherry unit of the party, by a margin of 5,652 votes in the Lawspet constituency.

Saminathan was one of the nominated legislators in the outgoing Assembly.

Vaithianathan quit the AINRC a few months ago and joined the Congress.

The DMK wrested the Uppalam constituency here from the AIADMK in the April 6 poll to the territorial Assembly.

DMK nominee Annibal Kennedy defeated AIADMK's A Anbalagam in Uppalam.

Anbalagan was holding the constituency consecutively from his first election in 2001.