Puducherry [India], March 23 (ANI): Puducherry BJP president VP Ramalingam on Monday filed his nomination from Raj Bhavan constituency for the Assembly elections to be held on April 9.

The Raj Bhavan seat is currently held by All India NR Congress (AINRC) Minister K Lakshminarayanan, and has now been transferred to the BJP in NDA's seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming polls.

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Tamil Nadu BJP in-charge and actor Khushboo were present during the filing of nomination. Today is the last date to file nominations for the Puducherry polls.

The BJP is contesting 10 seats in the NDA alliance under the leadership of N Rangasamy-led AINRC. The AINRC is contesting on 16 constituencies, AIADMK and Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi (LJK) are contesting on two seats each.

The BJP's first list of candidates was released on March 21. According to the list, A Namassivayam will contest from Mannadipet, while E Theeppainthan will contest from Oussoudu (SC). PML Kalyanasundaram will contest from Kalapet, and A Johnkumar from Mudaliarpet.

Embalam R Selvam will contest from Manavely, GNS Rajasekaran from Thirunallar and A Dineshan from Mahe.

The BJP released a second list to announce M Arulmurugan as its candidate from the Karaikal South constituency.

The Union Territory of Puducherry is all set to hold the 2026 Assembly Election on April 9 in a single phase, with counting of votes scheduled to take place on May 4.

The current term of the 30-member Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory is set to expire on June 15.

In the 2021 Puducherry Assembly Elections, AINRC emerged as the largest party with 10 seats, followed by DMK with six seats, while BJP and Congress won six seats each. The voter turnout was recorded at 84.8 per cent.

While in the 2016 elections, Congress had secured a majority with 15 seats, AINRC won eight seats, AIADMK bagged four seats, and DMK got two seats, with voter turnout at 83.6 per cent. (ANI)