On back of ally, BJP finds another key opening in South

The NR Congress on Sunday won eight seats in Puducherry and its ally BJP secured four, while the Congress-led

Secular Democratic Alliance (SDA) emerged victorious in three constituencies as the counting continued for the votes polled in the April 6 elections.

As the results for 14 of 30 assembly seats were declared, the AINRC bagged eight, BJP three, DMK one and

Congress two, the Election

Commission said.

A Namassivayam of the BJP emerged victorious from Mannadipet constituency after defeating his DMK rival AKrishn an. nam as siva yam, who shifted his allegiance to the saffron party in January this year after quitting the Congress, contested the April 6 poll from Mannadipet seat as BJP nominee.

The former minister polled

14,939 votes while his rival secured

12,189 votes.

A green horn in poll battle, U Lakshmikandhan of AINRC wrested the Embalam

(reserved) segment from Congress by defeating its candidate and former

Welfare Minister M Kandasamy.

Chief Electoral Officer Shurbir

Singh told PTI that the BJP nominee A John Kumar was declared elected from Kamaraj Nagar.

Kumar defeated his immediate Congress rival and former Industries Minister MO HF ShahJa han. John K um arwa selected from Kama raj Nagar in the by election held in November 2019 on Congress ticket. He has now retained the segment but on different party ticket. Kumar joined BJP in February after quitting Congress and contested the April 6 poll locking horns with former Industries Minister.

M Vaithianathan of Congress defeated BJP'S VS a mi nathan, who is president of Puducherry unit of the party, by a margin of 5,652 votes in the Lawspet constituency. Saminathan was one of the nominated legislators in the outgoing Assembly. va it hi a nathan quit the A IN R Ca few months ago and joined the Congress.