Puducherry Exit Poll Results 2026 Out: AINRC-BJP may retain power with 16 seats

Puducherry Exit Poll Results 2026 Out: According to the exit poll results, the AINRC-BJP alliance may retain power in the Union Territory with 16 seats in the 30-assembly house.

Puducherry Exit Poll Results 2026: Puducherry's 2026 assembly elections have shaped up as one of the most closely contested in the Union Territory's recent political history. According to the exit poll results, the AINRC-BJP alliance may retain power in the Union Territory with 16 seats in the 30-assembly house. A record voter turnout of 89.83 per cent, a string of high-profile constituency battles, and the arrival of a new political force have combined to make the outcome genuinely difficult to call ahead of exit poll projections expected this evening. Follow Exit Polls 2026 Live Updates 

Puducherry Exit Poll Results 2026

Puducherry may vote for NDA-led government with N. Rangasamy as Chief Minister for a fourth term. There is a probability of NDA majority with over 16 seats including nominated MLAs. The NDA has a clear directional edge, but 6–8 marginal seats are within ±1,500–2,500 vote margins. The Congress-DMK alliance may get around 9 seats. Other may get around five-six seats.

More than a dozen constituencies crossed the 90 per cent turnout mark, with Oussudu recording the highest at 94.39 per cent, followed by Mangalam at 94.14 per cent, Bahour at 93.99 per cent, Nettapakkam at 93.65 per cent, Mannadipet at 93.59 per cent, and Yanam at 93.24 per cent. Numbers like these point to an electorate that is deeply engaged and, in many seats, evenly divided, the kind of conditions where a few hundred votes in either direction can change everything.

The main contest and the new variable

The principal battle remains between the ruling NDA alliance, led by AINRC and BJP, and the opposition Secular Progressive Alliance of Congress and DMK. That much is familiar. What is not is the presence of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, actor Vijay Thalapathy's party, which has turned several straightforward two-way contests into triangular fights, particularly in urban constituencies and among younger voters. TVK's entry has made exit poll projections considerably harder than in previous cycles, and its final vote share could prove decisive in seats where margins are expected to be tight.

Seats that matter the most

Mangalam has emerged as the election's most-watched constituency after Chief Minister N Rangasamy chose to contest there, effectively turning it into a VVIP battleground. Thattanchavady has drawn nearly as much attention, with Rangasamy's traditional stronghold being tested by veteran leader V Vaithilingam. In Mannadipet, incumbent A Namassivayam faced a serious challenge from former MLA TPR Selvame, while Ozhukarai, Villianur, and Lawspet all saw contests involving senior figures from across the political spectrum.

Beyond the Puducherry region, the enclaves of Karaikal, Mahe, and Yanam could prove crucial to the final arithmetic. Yanam brought a high-profile rematch between veteran Malladi Krishna Rao and sitting MLA Gollapalli Srinivas Ashok, while Mahe, the Puducherry enclave sitting within Kerala, saw a three-way contest between Congress, BJP, and TVK-backed candidates.

The question that remains

As Puducherry waits for exit poll numbers this evening, three possibilities sit on the table, the NDA holds on, the Congress-DMK alliance stages a comeback, or TVK upsets the established order in enough seats to reshape the final count. With margins expected to be narrow across a significant number of constituencies, the answer may not be clear until votes are counted on May 4.