Puducherry | Ruling AINRC on Friday emerged the winner in its first test of popularity after it assumed office months ago as its nominee Ashok Anand won the Thattanchavady bypoll by over 8,000 votes, defeating his nearest Congress rival E Vinayagam.

Right from the start of the counting at 8 am, trends indicated an edge for the Chief Minister N Rangasamy-led party and the Dravidian major DMK was pushed to the third spot.

Ashok Anand, who secured 13,358 votes, won by a margin of 8,482 votes after four rounds of counting. E Vinayagam of the Congress secured 4,876 votes, and DMK's K Sethu alias Sethuselvam secured 2,664 votes, according to an EC update.