Mizoram Assembly Elections 2018: MNF wins clear majority

The Mizo National Front, a former ally of the BJP has won majority in the Mizoram State Assembly Elections 2018. In a crystal clear mandate, the party won 26 seats in the 40-member assembly, followed by Congress in the second position with 5 seats.

While the BJP has won one seat, others have managed to win a total of 8 seats. The win will unseat five-time Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla of the Congress party, who lost both the seats he was contesting from.  

Key Highlights

• The state’s Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who contested from Champhai South and Serchhip, lost both the seats.

• He lost Champhai South by 800 votes to MNF's TJ Lalnuntluanga. In Serchhip constituency, Zoram People's Movement's (ZPM) chief ministerial candidate Lalduhoma won 5,481 votes, while Thanhawla got 5,071.

• The BJP opened its account in the state with its candidate BD Chakma winning the Tuichawang seat.

• Mizoram had gone for polling in a single phase on November 28, 2018. The voter turnout in Mizoram was recorded at around 80 percent, against what was 83.41 percent in 2013.

Other Details

The Indian National Congress had been in power in the state since 2008. The tenure of the current Assembly will end on December 15, 2018.

Mizoram was the last North Eastern state to have a Congress government.

The MNF led by Zoramthanga, a former ally of the BJP in the state, had decided to contest independently in these elections.

Besides these two parties, Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) and Zoram Peoples' Movement (ZPM) are two of the other key parties in the state.