Puducherry assembly elections: 39 nominations filed for polls

Former Chief Minister V Vaithilingam and 38 others, including independents, today filed their nominations for the May 16 Assembly elections in the Union Territory. With this, the total number of nominations filed for the 30 Assembly seats at stake has risen to 42 since the poll process began on April 22, election officials said.

Congress’ Vaithilingam, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing assembly, filed his papers from Kamaraj Nagar constituency.

Pradesh Congress Committee President A Namassivayam filed his nomination seeking re-election from Villianoor while two former ministers and his party colleagues M Kandasamy and M O H F Shah Jahan entered the fray in Embalam (Reserved) and Kalapet constituencies respectively.

CPI state Secretary and Convenor of the People Welfare Alliance R Viswanathan filed his nomination from Kamaraj Nagar while BJP state President V Swaminathan submitted his papers to contest from Lawspet segment. Former DMK MLA Annibal Kennedy also filed his nomination seeking election from Uppalam segment.