Puducherry Votes Counted as N Rangaswamy Seeks Rare Second Term, TVK Emerges as Kingmaker

Key facts

• Votes are being counted for all 30 seats in the Puducherry Legislative Assembly on May 4, 2026.
• Chief Minister N Rangaswamy of the All India NR Congress (AINRC) seeks a second consecutive term, which no government has achieved since 2006.
• The majority mark is 16 seats.
• Actor-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is contesting for the first time, potentially playing kingmaker.
• Exit polls by Axis My India predict NDA 16-20 seats, INDIA bloc 6-8, and TVK 2-4 seats.
• The NDA alliance includes AINRC (16 seats), BJP (10), AIADMK (2), and Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi (2).
• The INDIA bloc is led by Congress (16 seats) with DMK contesting 14.
• V.P. Sivakolundhu, a 74-year-old former Congress Speaker, is contesting from Lawspet on an AINRC ticket against TVK's V Saminathan.

A Rare Second Term at Stake

Puducherry is counting votes today for its 30-seat Legislative Assembly, with Chief Minister N Rangaswamy aiming to break the Union Territory's long-standing pattern of single-term governments. The last time a party retained power was the Congress in 2006. Rangaswamy, who leads the All India NR Congress (AINRC), is seeking a second straight term after his alliance won in 2021. The majority mark of 16 makes every seat critical. The entry of actor-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has added a third dimension, turning several constituencies into multi-cornered contests. If neither the NDA nor the INDIA bloc reaches 16, TVK could emerge as kingmaker.

The Two Main Alliances and Their Strengths

The contest is primarily between two blocs. The NDA is led by the AINRC, which is contesting 16 seats, with the BJP fielding candidates in 10 constituencies. The AIADMK and the Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi (LJK) are contesting two seats each. On the other side, the INDIA alliance has the Congress at the helm, also contesting 16 seats, while the DMK was allotted 14. Rangaswamy, who served as chief minister under the Congress before quitting the party in 2011 to form the AINRC, immediately won a majority in the 2011 elections in alliance with the AIADMK. His party has been in power since 2021, and a victory today would mark a historic second consecutive term.

New Entrants: TVK and LJK Reshape the Field

The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, founded by actor Vijay, has made its electoral debut in Puducherry, contesting multiple seats. Exit polls are divided on its performance: Axis My India predicts TVK could win between two and four seats, while People Pulse and Praja Poll forecast it will not open its account. If TVK wins seats, it could hold the balance of power in a hung assembly. Another new entrant is the Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi (LJK), formed by lottery baron Santiago Martin's son Jose Charles Martin. Martin, who has largely lived in Chennai, says he has shifted base to Puducherry and wants to develop the territory like Singapore and Hong Kong. The Martin family also has a presence in TVK: Santiago Martin's son-in-law, Aadhava Arjun, serves as the party's general secretary.

High-Stakes Contest in Lawspet

One of the most closely watched constituencies is Lawspet, where veteran politician V.P. Sivakolundhu is contesting on an AINRC ticket. Sivakolundhu, 74, has a notably unusual political trajectory: he served as a Congress MLA and was elected Speaker of the Puducherry Assembly in 2019 after V. Vaithilingam moved to the Lok Sabha. He later left the Congress and is now seeking re-election from Lawspet under the AINRC banner. His main challenger is V. Saminathan of TVK, a former Puducherry BJP president who holds the record as the longest-serving leader in that position. The contest pits Sivakolundhu's deep local roots and institutional experience against Saminathan's organizational background, making Lawspet a bellwether for the broader three-cornered dynamic.

Record Turnout and Exit Poll Projections

Puducherry traditionally sees high voter participation, but this election set a record with 91.23% of the electorate casting ballots. The high turnout reflects the heightened stakes and the entry of new political forces. Most exit polls predict the NDA will retain power. Axis My India projects the NDA winning 16 to 20 seats, with the INDIA bloc getting 6 to 8. People Pulse forecasts a closer race: 16-19 for the NDA and 10-12 for INDIA. Praja Poll gives the ruling alliance 19-25 seats and the opposition 6-10. Two of the three exit polls expect TVK to win zero seats, while Axis My India gives it 2 to 4.

What a TVK Breakthrough Would Mean

If TVK wins even a single seat, it could fundamentally alter the post-election arithmetic. With only 30 seats, a party holding two to four seats would be in a strong bargaining position if neither alliance reaches 16. Vijay's party has not declared any post-poll alliance, leaving its options open. For Rangaswamy, the path to a second term depends on whether the NDA can secure a clear majority or whether it will need to negotiate with TVK or independents. The AINRC chief has governed in coalition before and has shown willingness to forge alliances across party lines.

A Test of Puducherry's Electoral Volatility

Puducherry's electorate has historically punished incumbents, with no government winning re-election since 2006. Rangaswamy's bid to break that trend is the central narrative of this election. His decision to leave the Congress and form the AINRC in 2011 paid off immediately, but sustaining power has proven elusive for all parties. The presence of TVK and LJK, along with the record turnout, suggests that voters are looking for alternatives. Whether the NDA can overcome the anti-incumbency factor and whether TVK can convert its novelty into seats will determine not just the next government but the future shape of Puducherry's politics.

The bottom line

• Puducherry's 30-seat assembly is counting votes with a record 91.23% turnout; the majority mark is 16.
• Chief Minister N Rangaswamy (AINRC) seeks a rare second consecutive term, which no party has achieved since 2006.
• Actor-politician Vijay's TVK is contesting for the first time and could play kingmaker if neither alliance reaches 16.
• Exit polls are divided: Axis My India gives TVK 2-4 seats; two others predict zero for the party.
• In Lawspet, former Congress Speaker V.P. Sivakolundhu (AINRC) faces TVK's V. Saminathan, a former BJP state president.
• The NDA alliance includes AINRC, BJP, AIADMK, and LJK; the INDIA bloc is led by Congress and DMK.