Aizawl (Mizoram ) , Dec 4: Only three women candidates won in the Mizoram Assembly elections, the results of which were declared by the Election Commission of India on Monday.
Out of the 174 candidates in the fray, only 16 were women. Of them, two contested in two constituencies each, making it 18 seats having women candidates fighting the Assembly elections.
The Mizoram Assembly has 40 members.
Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), an Opposition alliance of six parties, has posted a thumping victory in Mizoram, which went to polls on November 7. ZPM won 27 seats in the 40-member assembly, comprehensively defeating the ruling Mizo National Front(MNF).
Indian Police Services (IPS) officer Lalduhoma-spearheaded Zorom People’s Movement (ZPM) is all set to be forming the government in Mizoram. They would be unseating Bhartiya Janta Party’s (BJP) ally Mizo National Front (MNF) in the Christian-majority Mizoram. At the time of writing, ZPM had secured 27 seats in the state constituent assembly – much ahead of the MNF (9), BJP (2) and Congress (1).
Lalduhoma is expected to meet the governor on Tuesday and stake claim to form the government. Chief Minister Zoramthanga lost the Aizawl East-I seat to Lalthansanga of Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) by 2,101 votes, as votes were being counted for the Assembly elections in Mizoram on Monday, according to the Election Commission (EC).
Deputy CM Tawnluia also lost to ZPM candidate W. Chhuanawma in the Tuichang seat by a margin of 909 votes.
The prominent ZPM winners include the party’s CM face Lalduhoma who bagged the Serchhip seat by defeating his MNF rival J Malsawmzuala Vanchhawng by 2,982 votes.
The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) enjoyed significant support in the state, the four-cornered contest also saw the BJP trying to make inroads in the state. The presence of the Congress has faded over the years but some of the exit polls have given an edge to the grand-old party.
Zoramthanga’s party has projected him as the “guardian of the Chin-Kuki-Zo tribes”, though his rivals and other parties like the BJP has accused him of corruption, not checking rising unemployment and drug trafficking, and poor infrastructure.
Though the MNF is an ally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Zoramthanga – citing kinship and familial ties with the Chin-Kuki tribes in Myanmar – has openly given shelter to at least 40,000 refugees who fled from the junta rule in the neighboring nation.
However, people of Mizoram rested their faith in the youngest political party in the northeastern state and voted Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) to power.
A total of 174 candidates contested in the Mizoram Assembly election. Of the 174, ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) and Congress had contested all 40 seats each while BJP contested on 23 constituencies.
PM Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) over its victory in the Mizoram assembly elections and assured it of all possible support in furthering the progress of the northeastern state.
“Congratulations to the Zoram People’s Movement and Lalduhoma for the victory in the Mizoram Assembly elections. I assure all possible support in furthering the progress of Mizoram,” Modi wrote on X.
He also thanked the people in the state for backing the BJP and said, “I would like to thank all those who supported BJP. Our Party will always work to ensure Mizoram scales new heights of progress. I appreciate the hard work of our party workers who reached out to the people of the state and highlighted our agenda of good governance.”
“I would also like to specially congratulate K. Beichhua and K. Hrahmo from our party on being elected MLAs. My best wishes for their legislative journey ahead,” he added.
With Bureau & Agency inputs
