AINRC retains Thattanchavady in Puducherry bypoll as Ashok Anand defeats Congress

A by-election in Puducherry’s Thattanchavady assembly constituency is won by N R Congress candidate Ashok Anand, who defeats Congress’s E Vinayagam. The reported result gives Anand 13,358 votes and a lead of 8,482 votes over the closest rival, with multiple other candidates failing to secure deposits.

Outlet reports describe the seat as being retained by the ruling NDA ally AINRC (N R Congress). The Hindu adds that Anand’s victory margin is large, noting it is nearly double the margin by which Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, the AINRC founder, won the seat in the April 2026 Assembly elections. Times of India and India Today emphasize Anand’s substantial margin and the performance of other parties’ candidates, while all accounts agree the contest is between Anand and Congress, and that AINRC/N R Congress holds the constituency.