Most exit polls have predicted the NDA will secure a majority in the Union Territory once again.
The majority mark in the Union Territory is 16 and every seat counts - something that has been made more complicated with the entry of actor-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
- The contest in Puducherry is primarily between two blocs. The NDA is led by the All India NR Congress, which is contesting 16 seats, and has the BJP, with 10 constituencies, and the AIADMK and Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi (two each) as the other key constituents. The INDIA alliance has the Congress at the helm, contesting 16 seats, while 14 were allotted to the DMK.
- The NDA, with All India NR Congress (AINRC) chief N Rangaswamy as chief minister, is in power in the Union Territory, which has not re-elected a government since the Congress in 2006.
- N Rangaswamy, who had served as a chief minister under the Congress, quit the party in 2011 and formed his outfit the same year. The AINRC tasted success immediately and won a majority in the 2011 Assembly elections in an alliance with the AIADMK.
- The emergence of Vijay's party has added a third dimension to the contest, making several constituencies more competitive than in previous elections. Since the Assembly has just 30 seats, TVK may play kingmaker if neither alliance crosses the majority mark of 16.
- Another entrant in Puducherry's politics is the Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi (LJK), formed by lottery baron Santiago Martin's son Jose Charles Martin. Though he has largely lived in Chennai, Martin now claims to have shifted base to the Union Territory and says he wants to "develop Puducherry like Singapore and Hong Kong".
- Another key player from the Martin family who is involved in politics is Aadhava Arjun, Santiago Martin's son-in-law, who serves as general secretary of the TVK.
- Puducherry, which traditionally sees a high voter turnout, set a record this time around with 91.23% of the electorate casting their ballots.
- Most exit polls have predicted the NDA will secure a majority in the Union Territory once again. Axis My India has said the NDA is likely to win between 16 and 20 seats, while the INDIA alliance is projected to get 6-8.
- People Pulse has predicted 16-19 seats for the NDA and 10-12 for INDIA, indicating a close fight, while Praja Poll has given 19-25 to the ruling alliance and 6-10 to INDIA.
- Of these three, two have said the TVK will not open its account in the UT, but Axis My India has predicted it could end up with between two and four seats.
