Archive · 4 Oct 2026
Campaigning Ends for Thattanchavady Bypoll in Puducherry
Campaigning has finished for a special election in Thattanchavady, Puducherry.
People will vote on October 6 to choose someone to represent the area in the Assembly.
There are 11 candidates.
The seat became available after Chief Minister N Rangasamy won in two constituencies and decided to keep the other one, Mangalam.
Parties made a final push with rallies and visits to voters’ homes.
Rangasamy and other NDA supporters joined a motorcycle rally.
DMK leader M K Stalin asked people to vote for his party’s candidate.
He also said Rangasamy had not done enough for people or for Puducherry’s statehood effort.
Campaigning for the October 6 Thattanchavady Assembly bypoll ended at 6 pm on Sunday.
Eleven candidates are contesting, including nominees from AINRC, DMK, Congress, CPI and Naam Tamilar Katchi.
The seat became vacant after Chief Minister N Rangasamy chose to retain Mangalam, where he also won in the April 9 Assembly election.
N Rangasamy, Home Minister A Namassivayam and NDA supporters joined a motorcycle rally before campaigning ended.
DMK leader M K Stalin urged voters to support his party’s candidate and criticized Rangasamy over governance and statehood efforts.
- Who
- Eleven candidates, including nominees from AINRC, DMK, Congress, CPI and Naam Tamilar Katchi, are contesting.
- What
- Campaigning has ended for the Thattanchavady Assembly bypoll.
- When
- Campaigning ended at 6 pm on Sunday; voting is scheduled for October 6.
- Where
- Thattanchavady Assembly constituency, Puducherry.
- Why
- The seat fell vacant after N Rangasamy chose to retain Mangalam, one of the two constituencies he won in the April 9 Assembly election.
DMK criticism
AINRC-led NDA campaign
Rangasamy’s record
DMK criticism
M K Stalin accused Chief Minister N Rangasamy of ignoring people and failing to make sustained efforts to secure statehood for Puducherry.
AINRC-led NDA campaign
The article reports that Rangasamy and NDA leaders campaigned for the AINRC candidate, but does not provide a direct response to Stalin’s accusations.
- Polling date
- October 6
- Campaigning ended
- 6 pm on Sunday
- Candidates
- 11
- Registered voters
- 26,921
- Constituency
- Thattanchavady, an urban constituency including Oulgaret municipal areas
- AINRC candidate
- Ashok Anand
- DMK candidate
- K Sedhu Selvam
- Congress candidate
- E Vinayagam, backed by Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam