Slow pace polling in Puducherry

Puducherry, April 18 (IANS) Polling in the lone Puducherry Lok Sabha constituency on Thursday progressed at a slow pace but was brisk in the Thattanchavady Assembly seat.

According to the Election Commission, 1.96 per cent voting was recorded in Puducherry from 7 a.m. till 9.30 a.m. and 5.21 per cent in Thattanchavady Assembly by-election.

There are 18 candidates in the fray for Lok Sabha seat and their electoral fate will be decided by about 9.73 lakh voters.

The main fight is between Congress candidate Ve Vaithilingam and All India N.R. Congress candidate Narayanasamy Kesavan.

Actor-politician Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam has fielded M.A.S. Subramanian.

For the Assembly seat, there are eight candidates but the main fight is between All India N.R. Congress candidate P. Nedounzejiane and DMK's K. Venkatesan.