Puducherry assembly polls: DMK-Congress finalise seat-sharing pact

PUDUCHERRY: After intense negotiations for more than a week, the DMK and Congress combine finalised their seat-sharing agreement for the 2026 assembly polls in Puducherry on Monday.

As per the agreement, Congress will contest 16 seats in the 30-member assembly, while DMK has got 14 seats. DMK will also allot one seat each to VCK and CPI from its quota.The announcement was made at a joint press conference, two hours after the deadline for filing nominations closed, by AICC in-charge of Puducherry Girish Chodankar, Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president V Vaithilingam, DMK's Puducherry coordinator S Jagathrakshakan and Puducherry DMK convenor R Siva.

Jagathrakshakan said the alliance was strong and united to unseat the NDA led by All India NR Congress (AINRC). "The Congress-DMK alliance is incredibly strong in Puducherry. We have the 'hand' (Congress symbol) and the 'rising sun' (DMK symbol) working together," he said.He clarified that while both parties laid claim to several key constituencies, the differences would be sorted out. "These overlaps would be resolved through internal dialogue.

There are no issues in the alliance now. We will sit down and decide who withdraws their 'dummy' nominations in the contested seats," he said.The alliance will release a joint election manifesto within the next two days. Renewed demand for special statehood status for the Union territory will be the central pillar of their campaign.Earlier, supporters of former CM V Narayanasamy picketed Vaithilingam's house after reports that Narayanasamy would not be offered a seat to contest the poll. When asked about it, Vaithilingam briefly responded, "That is a party decision."