Excitement in Puducherry: NR Congress tokens distributed to voters

Tamil Nadu: Voting for 30 seats in the Union Territory of Puducherry began at 7 am on Thursday and was proceeding peacefully, but tension prevailed in the Bagur area as DMK members tried to chase away NR Congress Party members who were distributing tokens to voters.

Voting for 30 seats in the Union Territory of Puducherry began at 7 am. People waited in long queues to cast their votes.

A total of 1,099 polling stations have been set up across all 30 seats.

The election is a three-way contest between the National Democratic Alliance led by NR Congress leader and Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, the opposition alliance comprising alliance parties including the Congress and DMK, and the alliance led by Vijay K. Thaveka.

In a three-way contest, 950,000 eligible voters will decide the political identity of a total of 294 candidates, including 34 national party candidates, 63 state party candidates, 80 registered unrecognized candidates, and 117 independent candidates.

In the last assembly elections, voter turnout was 82.2 percent. This time, voter turnout is expected to exceed 90 percent.

Since polling began at 7 a.m., voters have been waiting anxiously in long lines to register their votes.

District Collector and Returning Officer Kulothungan waited with the people and cast his vote at the polling booth set up at Mother Teresa Nursing College in Korimedu, Puducherry.

NR Congress Distributing Tokens to Voters

While polling has begun and is proceeding peacefully in Puducherry, reports have emerged that members of the NR Congress party are distributing tokens for groceries to voters in the Bagur area.

Subsequently, supporters of the DMK candidate in the area attempted to chase away those distributing tokens. They then knocked them down and fled.

DMK members have filed a police complaint. Consequently, an argument between DMK and NR Congress workers escalated into a physical altercation, creating tension in the area.

Voting was delayed at two polling stations in the Yenam area of ​​Puducherry after reports emerged that tokens were being distributed to voters on behalf of the NR Congress candidate.