Puducherry Assembly election 2026: Decided against contesting to save alliance, says Narayanasamy

Former Chief Minister Narayanasamy opts out of Puducherry Assembly elections to maintain alliance harmony amidst seat-sharing talks with DMK.

Appealing to the Congress workers to ensure the victory of INDIA bloc in the Union Territory, former Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy, on Tuesday (March 24, 2026), said he decided not to contest in this Assembly election as he was told that discussions on his candidature was creating a rift in the alliance during seat-sharing talks with the DMK.

“When the talks were in the last stage on Sunday, a leader told me that my candidature from Nellithope was creating hurdles in seat-sharing talks with DMK. To save the alliance, I informed our leadership of my decision not to contest. At a later stage, I will reveal the identity of the leader who informed me about DMK’s displeasure on my candidature,” he told reporters. 

Mr. Narayanasamy said he was always a Congressman first and contesting elections were secondary to him. “I didn’t want the alliance to break because of my candidature. Now that the DMK has announced the candidates, the Congress will also release the list. All of us should work for the alliance candidates,” he said. 

On the protest by his supporters against MP and Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief V. Vaithilingam on Monday (March 23), he said the workers have every right to express their displeasure. He went on to add that the workers have been asked to concentrate on party’s campaign for the Assembly polls rather resorting to protests. When asked about the supporters’ anger against the PCC chief, the former Chief Minister said, “I don’t think Mr. Vaithilingam is responsible.” 

Meanwhile, the protests by Mr. Narayanasamy’s supporters continued on Tuesday with a group of Congress workers staging a demonstration in front of the PCC office. They shouted slogans against Mr. Vaithilingam for “spoiling” Mr. Narayanasamy’s chances to contest the Assembly polls. They held a meeting and wanted Mr. Vaithilingam to withdraw his candidature from Thattanchavady, in order to campaign for all Congress candidates by virtue of being the PCC president.