Father-son duo wins on BJP ticket in Puducherry

A. Johnkumar was with the Congress before joining the BJP ahead of the announcement of the Assembly elections in Puducherry.

A. Johnkumar contested from Kamaraj Nagar from where he had won twice earlier as a Congress candidate. He defeated former minister M.O.H.F. Shajahan of the Congress by 7,229 votes.

His son Richard Johnkumar fought a tough battle against DMK candidate V. Cartigueyana before winning by a slender margin of 496 votes from the Nellithope Assembly constituency.

The NDA led by the All India NR Congress (AINRC) is leading in the 30-member Puducherry Assembly with 12 seats. While the AINRC has won 8 seats, 4 seats have been won by its ally BJP. The Secular Progressive Alliance led by the Congress has won 3 seats as the counting progresses.