The NR Congress on Sunday won eight seats in Puducherry and its ally BJP secured three 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.

Puducherry elections

Seats: 30

Number of voters: 10.03 lakh

Voting: April 6

Incumbent: Secular Democratic Alliance

Majority mark: 16

Poll issues

Political stability: The stability of the government is perceived to be one of the major issues in Puducherry, which witnessed the fall of the government just before its term ended as the Congress leadership asked Narayanasamy to resign due to internal party politics.

Corruption: BJP has launched scathing attacks on the erstwhile Congress-led alliance government, accusing it of corruption and not fulfilling poll promises.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while campaigning in Puducherry, had slammed the Congress high command in Delhi, saying that the UT had a “special place” among the list of non-performing Congress governments in the country. “Take any sector -- education, filling of medical seats, the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled tribes -- there was nothing but loot,” Modi said at a rally.

Statehood: Demands for securing statehood have been there for quite some time now, given that Puducherry can boast of offering a very high quality of life with excellent physical infrastructure and almost hundred per cent literacy levels. The state Assembly has passed a resolution for full statehood but it is yet to eb endorsed by the Centre. If the NDA comes to power, the Union Territory, which has its own legislature and Chief Minister, may have a shot at that.

Congress-DMK tension: The two parties are part of the same alliance, but tension between them is apparent. There has always been a power tussle among the two parties which may have emerged as an issue with voters.

Minorities: A contentious demand from Muslims and Christians to add them to the reserved categories is one of the key issues, something that might give an edge to the Congress. Social Welfare Minister M Kandasamy has already taken steps regarding this matter, which may help Congress make a comeback.

Key candidates

Former chief minister and ANRC leader N Rangasamy, heading the National Democratic Alliance, was perhaps the most prominent face of the election. He contested from Thattanchavady as well as Yanam, an enclave of the UT.

The chief contestants in the poll are the AINRC leader N Rangasamy heading the NDA in which the AINRC, AIADMK and BJP are the constituents.

On the other side, the Congress-led Secular Democratic Alliance (SDA) comprises the Congress, DMK, VCK, and CPI.