Congress Plays Down INDIA Bloc Allies Contesting 6 Seats In Puducherry
In lack of seat-sharing formula by March 23, Congress had to give forms A and B needed to file nominations to 22 of its candidates.
Published : March 31, 2026 at 7:12 PM IST
New Delhi: The Congress played down the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc allies contesting six seats in the Union Territory (UT) of Puducherry, saying the situation reflected mixed emotions and claimed that there would be no impact on the alliance prospects. All 30 assembly seats in Puducherry will go to the polls on April 9, and the results will be out on May 4.
The INDIA bloc allies, the Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), indulged in hard bargaining before finalising the seat-sharing formula on March 23, the last day of nomination. Out of 30, the Congress was to contest 16 seats and DMK 14 seats, including 2 seats for allies VCK and Communist Party of India (CPI).
However, the Congress and the DMK ended up filing nominations on most of the seats and hoped to settle the issue by March 26, the last date of withdrawal of nominations. According to Congress insiders, in the lack of a seat-sharing formula by March 23, the party had to give forms A and B needed to file nominations to 22 of its candidates, six more than what the party finally agreed to.
Out of the 14 it got, the DMK filed nominations on 13 seats and left one for ally VCK, which went on to field candidates on two more seats. The Congress managers later asked the six unofficial candidates to withdraw their nominations, but while some of them missed the chance, a few nominees refused to do so and turned into rebels of sorts. The 6 problematic seats are Kalapet, Raj Bhavan, Thirubuvanai, Karaikal South, Mangalam and Ozhukarai.
According to Congress insiders, the high command has been briefed about the ground situation, and any further action against the rebels will be taken as directed by the All India Congress Committee (AICC).
In the meantime, given the short campaign window in the Union Territory (UT) till April 7, most of the Congress, DMK and VCK candidates, including in the six problem seats, are busy seeking support from the voters.
"It is like mixed emotions, neither happy nor sad. The DMK went on discussing till the last date of nomination. Hence, we had to give forms A and B to our candidates. It seems like wrong timing. But this will have no impact on alliance unity. The alliance candidates are campaigning in their respective seats along with party workers," AICC secretary in charge of Puducherry, Anjali Nimbalkar, told ETV Bharat.
"We have briefed the high command on the ground situation, and they will suggest whatever needs to be done," she said. The delay in finalising the seat-sharing formula in Puducherry was due to the DMK demanding 14 seats each and leaving 2 for allies. The Congress, which had contested 21 seats in 2021, wanted the same formula to continue.
The delay was a replay of a similar hard bargaining between the Congress and the DMK in Tamil Nadu, where the grand old party had demanded 39 seats out of a total 234, up from 25 it contested in 2021, but the regional party agreed only for 28 seats.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge will now chair a meeting of the Central Election Committee on April 1 to finalise all the 28 candidates. The list is likely to be announced soon after, said party insiders. Elections to all 234 assembly seats in Tamil Nadu will be held on April 23, and the results will be out on May 4. The last date of filing the nominations is April 6.
Over the past few days, the Congress and DMK leaders finalised which 28 seats the grand old party will contest. "The seats have been discussed. We now have to clear our candidates. The Central Election Committee (CEC) will likely meet on April 1," AICC secretary in charge of Tamil Nadu Nivedith Alva told ETV Bharat.
Congress managers are upbeat over the DMK-led alliance returning to power in Tamil Nadu based on the work done by the MK Stalin government over the past five years. In Puducherry, the Congress managers hope to defeat the BJP-NR Congress alliance due to anti-incumbency and lack of development by the government.
"The voters in Puducherry have seen no development under the National Defence Academy (NDA) government. Besides, the ruling combine is also suffering from internal problems as the BJP tried to overshadow ally NR Congress," said Nimbalkar.
"Puducherry deserves truth, not propaganda. When Congress governed, development was visible, measurable, and inclusive. It was not reduced to hollow slogans. Under the NR–BJP alliance, the Union Territory is facing stalled development, rising unemployment, administrative breakdown, and a cloud of corruption," she added.
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