Muthialpet election results 2026: AINRC’s Vaiyapuri Manikandan defeats Congress’s Eeram G Rajendran by 952 votes

AINRC’s Vaiyapuri Manikandan won from Muthialpet constituency in Puducherry, defeating Congress’s Eeram G Rajendran by a margin of 952 votes.Muthialpet turned into a high-stakes arena for a major political realignment. The sitting representative, J Prakash Kumar, moved away from his previous status to spearhead the TVK campaign, positioning himself as a primary challenger to the established order. In a direct counter-move, the AINRC (NDA) fielded Vaiyapuri Manikandan, transforming the race into a head-to-head clash between the ruling alliance and a surging third force. Adding further weight to the contest, the Congress (SPA) introduced Eram G Rajendran, aiming to reassert the alliance's presence. Muthialpet, a coastal urban assembly constituency in Puducherry, is located in the northern part of the Union Territory and is known for its dense neighbourhoods, fishing communities, and active local markets. The seat has seen a history of “musical chairs” between its top contenders, as in 2021, it witnessed a razor-thin finish when Prakash Kumar—contesting as an Independent—edged past Manikandan by just 934 votes. This was a direct reversal of the 2016 outcome, where Manikandan (then with AIADMK) had defeated Prakash Kumar by 2,164 votes. This polls took this legacy feud to unprecedented heights, as both rivals returned under completely different political affiliations. This high-drama politics surged the constituency to a record-breaking 89.14% voter turnout, a massive leap from the previous polls, where a steady 77.45% voters showed engagement.The 2026 Puducherry assembly elections took place on April 9, recording a historic voter turnout of 91.23%, with results declared on May 4. The contest shifted from a traditional two-way battle into a high-stakes three-way struggle between the ruling NDA (led by the AINRC and BJP), the SPA (anchored by the Congress and DMK), and the newly formed TVK–NMK alliance headed by actor-politician Vijay.