Poll results: Initial trend shows Congress leading on 3 seats in Puducherry

Congress is leading on three seats while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading on two seats, according to the initial trends as counting of votes in the Puducherry polls has commenced.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is leading on one seat.

The election schedule spread across four states and one Union Territory began on March 27 and continued till April 29. The single-phase election for the 30 members legislative assembly here was held on April 6.

The election in the UT was declared after the Congress-led government in the Union Territory collapsed before completing its five-year term under Chief Minister V Narayanasamy.

Narayanasamy had resigned on February 22 ahead of a floor test in the 33-member House (including three nominated) following the resignations of five Congress and one DMK legislators.

However, Congress has denied a ticket for the assembly elections to former Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and instead given him the responsibility of campaign and election management.

The counting is done under the shadow of a raging coronavirus pandemic to elect their next governments. The results will decide the fate of 324 candidates. The battle is seen mainly between NDA and Congress-DMK alliance. Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam is also in the fray.

The exit polls have predicted victory for NDA.

Within NDA, the BJP is contesting on nine seats, All India NR Congress on 16 seats and the AIADMK on five seats.

( With inputs from ANI )