Puducherry Elections: NDA Seals Seat-Sharing Deal, Averts Split Ahead of April Polls

After days of uncertainty and speculation over a possible rupture, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Puducherry on Friday finalised its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled on 9 April, DT Next reported.

The ruling All India NR Congress (AINRC) has retained the largest share of seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a slight increase. The AIADMK, however, saw its allocation sharply reduced, and a new entrant, the Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi (LJK), has been accommodated.

Under the pact, the AINRC, led by Chief Minister N Rangasamy, will contest 16 seats, the same number as in the 2021 elections. The BJP will field candidates in 10 constituencies, up from nine previously. The AIADMK has been allotted just two seats, down from five, while the LJK, floated by Jose Charles Martin, son of lottery baron Santiago Martin, will also contest two seats.

The induction of the LJK had initially caused friction within the alliance. Rangasamy was opposed to its inclusion and even skipped a key NDA meeting convened by the BJP earlier this week, sparking speculation of a split.

However, following consultations with the BJP leadership, the impasse was resolved. Union Minister Mansukh L Mandaviya flew into Puducherry for last-minute talks, after which Rangasamy relented. "The alliance will continue, and we are confident of retaining power," the Chief Minister told reporters, confirming the deal.

Rangasamy, who had earlier unilaterally announced a candidate for the Yanam constituency, met Mandaviya later in the day, signalling closure to the dispute. He also filed his nomination papers from Thattanchavady and Mangalam constituencies, underlining his readiness for the polls.

The finalisation of the NDA pact comes even as the opposition DMK-Congress combine is yet to conclude its own seat-sharing negotiations. Reports suggest parallel nomination filings by both parties, indicating unresolved differences within the alliance.

In the 2021 Assembly elections, the AINRC emerged as the single largest party with 10 seats. The BJP and Congress won six seats each, while the DMK also secured six. The NDA is now banking on unity within its ranks to retain control of the Union Territory, particularly as Puducherry's political landscape has often been shaped by shifting alliances and narrow margins.

With the seat-sharing arrangement now settled, the NDA hopes to project cohesion and stability in the run-up to polling day. The coming weeks will reveal whether this carefully negotiated compromise can translate into electoral success in a contest expected to be closely fought.