DMK wins Thattanchavady Assembly by-poll in Pondy

The DMK, an ally of the ruling Congress in Puducherry Thursday wrested the Thattanchavady seat from the opposition AINRC in the Assembly by-poll. K Venkatesan of the DMK was declared elected. He polled 10,906 votes while his nearest rival P Nedunchezhian of AINRC (nephew of the opposition leader and AINRC founder N Rangasamy) garnered 9,367 votes.

The by-election was necessitated after the disqualification of sitting AINRC MLA Ashok Anand following his conviction by a CBI court in a disproportionate assets case in October last. Venkatesan is an oil merchant and afresh face in the poll battle.

Thattanchavady had been the pocket borough of the former Chief Minister and AINRC founder N Rangasamy. With the win, the DMK's strength in the territorial Assembly rose to three.