30 candidates in the fray in Puducherry

Puducherry: Decks have been cleared for the poll battle in the lone Lok Sabha seat of Puducherry which goes to polls on April 24 as deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended on Wednesday.

A total of 30 candidates including Congress leader and Union Minister V Narayanasamy are in the fray after three candidates withdrew their nominations today.

While the ruling AINRC has fileded former Speaker R Radhakrishnan, DMK has nominted A M H Nazeem, MLA, AIADMK M V Omalingam and PMK R K Anandaraman.

Secretary of Puducherry unit of CPI R Viswanathan and Aam Aadmi Party's V Rangarajan is also in the fray.

District Election Officer S B Deepak Kumar told reporters that the three candidates who withdrew their papers had filed nominations as independents.

Puducherry Lok Sabha constituency has a strength of 8.85 lakh voters.