Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangaswamy offered prayers at the Appa Paithiyam Swamy Temple on Sunday ahead of the Assembly election vote counting scheduled for Monday.

Rangaswamy congratulated actor Vijay for his increasing influence in Tamil Nadu and expressed confidence in the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) prospects in Puducherry. “Congratulations to TVK chief Vijay, who has made a great impact in Tamil Nadu. The NDA alliance will win 20 seats in Puducherry and will form the government,” he told ANI.

The political contest in Puducherry, a smaller but strategically important region, is closely observed. The BJP-led NDA seeks to consolidate its position, while the Congress-DMK alliance strives to regain ground amid one of the highest voter turnout rates in the country, signalling strong electoral engagement.

The contest features the NDA, which comprises the All India NR Congress (AINRC), the BJP, and the Congress-DMK alliance. Actor Vijay’s TVK has also entered the race, aiming to make the contest triangular.

The NDA includes the AINRC, led by Chief Minister Rangaswamy, contesting 16 assembly constituencies; the BJP, contesting 10 seats; and the AIADMK and LJK, each contesting two seats.

The INDIA bloc consists of the Congress, contesting 16 assembly constituencies, and the DMK, contesting 14 seats. The VCK, which is part of the Secular Progressive Alliance in Tamil Nadu, chose to contest three assembly seats independently in Puducherry after being offered only one seat.