Puducherry Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Puducherry to vote in Phase 1. Here are the key candidates

Puducherry Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Key Candidates:Puducherry which is the 29th most populous of the 36 states and Union Territories of India, and the third most densely populated Union Territory goesto the election in the first phase of the 2024 General Elections on Friday (Apr 19).

Indian National Congress (INC) V. Vaithilingam is the incumbent Lok Sabha representative forthe Union Territory of Puducherry in Lok Sabha. In 2019, he won the election with 56.27 per cent (444,981) votes and a victory margin of 1,97,025 votes.

The 73-year-old leaderpreviouslyservedas the 11th Chief Minister of Pondicherry from 1991 to 1996 atthe age of 40, making him the second-youngest Chief Minister of the territory. He was also the 16th Chief Minister of Puducherry, from 2008 to 2011.

Arumugam Namassivayam or A. Namassivayam, a Bharatiya Janata Party politician, is also in the race. He is currently the UT's Home Minister with an additional charge ofElectricity, Industries and commerce, Education, Sports and youth welfare and Sainik welfare.

Namassivayam was earlier a member of the Congress party and even served as the president of the Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee. However, on January 25, 2021, he was suspended for his anti-party activities and soon after; he joined the BJP.

AIADMK candidate, G Thamizhvendan, belongs to a fishermen's community, which is the third largest in the UT after Vanniyars and Scheduled Castes.

Even though reports suggest that the election battle is between BJP's Namassivayam and Congress' Vaithilingam, AIADMK's Thamizhvendan may split votes in Karaikal, where fishermen face frequent attacks by the Sri Lankan Navy. Apart from this, AIADMK loyalists that make up a sizeable base in Puducherry may also vote for the popular 'two-leaves' symbol irrespective of the candidate.

Puducherry Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Total candidates

As per the Election Commission of India's approved list of candidates, 7 leaders belonging to various political parties and 19 independent candidates will contest the election. This means a total of 26 candidates are there. Here's the list.

A. Namassivayam

P. Sankaran

K. Prabhudevan

When are Puducherry Lok Sabha Elections 2024?

The Union Territory of Puducherry goes to election in the first phase of 2024 General Elections, scheduled for April 19, 2024 (Friday). On this day, 102 Parliamentary Constituencies in 21 states are scheduled for polling.

Nominations in Puducherry started on 20 Mar 2024, and ended on 27 Mar 2024. The last day to withdraw from the polls was 30 March 2024.

Results of the elections will be announced on 4 June 2024.