Puducherry Assembly election 2026: Puducherry Assembly elections remain a test for INDIA bloc

The cohesiveness in the INDIA bloc alliance has been put to test after the decision of the Congress, the DMK, the CPI and the VCK to field candidates against each other in several of the 30 Assembly constituencies in the April 9 polls in the Union Territory.

On the last day of filing of nomination papers on Monday, as there was uncertainty on the number of seats and constituencies distributed among the allies, candidates of all the four parties have filed nomination papers for their preferred seats.

The candidates were asked to submit the nomination papers by the respective parties hoping that they could prevail upon the applicants to withdraw their papers before the deadline prescribed by the Election Commission of India on March 26 (Thursday), once the leaders of the alliance partners come to a mutual understanding.

After the nominations were filed on Monday, the DMK-Congress leaders met here again in the evening to finalise the number of seats and constituencies the parties would contest. A day after the discussions, the DMK on Tuesday released a list of 13 candidates with the names of constituencies given to each of its nominee. The party also allocated a seat and constituency to the VCK from its quota of 14.

However, the Congress was yet to release the list of candidates and constituencies after the discussions with the DMK. Among the 13 constituencies that found place in the DMK’s list, the Congress has given Form A and B (party authorisation forms) to candidates in Kalapet, Nellithope and Raj Bhavan.

Those from the Congress camp who have filed papers, included former Minister M.O.H. F. Shahjahan from Kalapet. “I was given the forms by the AICC and the PCC leadership. There is only one candidate from the minority community in the Congress. So far nobody has asked me to withdraw the papers. My papers have been accepted after scrutiny on Tuesday,” he told The Hindu.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India leaders, including party secretary A. M. Saleem met the DMK leaders to sort out differences in the INDIA bloc. Mr. Saleem and Member of Parliament and PCC chief V. Vaithilingam have both filed nomination papers from the Thattanchavady constituency.

Senior CPI leader N. Kalainathan has filed papers from Ozhukarai constituency from where the Congress and the VCK candidates have filed papers. The VCK, apart from Ozhukarai, had filed nominations from Ossudu and Nettapakkam from where the Congress candidates have also filed papers.

Mr. Saleem told The Hindu that the Thattanchavady seat was given to the party within the alliance during the 2021 polls. “Further discussions are scheduled on Tuesday night. Only the DMK has initiated the talks, we are yet to hear anything from the Congress party,” he added.

The DMK candidates have also filed nominations in constituencies such as Nellithope allotted in previous elections to the Congress. The party was trying to prevail upon those candidates to withdraw their papers by Wednesday.