Exit Polls predicts ZPM lead in Mizoram, close battle between MNF and Congress

On November 30, Jan Ki Baat made predictions for the Mizoram Assembly election, forecasting that Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) may secure 15-25 seats, while the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) could attain 10-14 seats. The Congress party is anticipated to garner 5-9 seats, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expected to secure 0-2 seats. Other parties may collectively clinch 1-5 seats, as per the predictions.

Mizoram witnessed a single-phase election for its 40 Assembly seats on November 7, with an impressive voter turnout of 78.40 per cent. A total of 174 candidates contested in the state.

The key contenders in Mizoram are the incumbent Mizo National Front (MNF), the Congress, and Zoram People’s Movement, with the BJP aspiring to play a significant role as the potential "kingmaker."

In the 2018 Assembly elections, MNF emerged victorious with 26 seats and a vote share of 37.8 percent. Congress secured five seats, while the BJP won one seat.

Reflecting on the 2018 predictions, CVoter-Republic TV had forecasted 16-20 seats for Congress and 14-18 seats for MNF. In contrast, CNX-Times had predicted 18 seats for Congress and 16 for the BJP. However, the actual outcome saw MNF securing 26 seats, Congress 5, and Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) winning eight seats. As the state eagerly awaits the election results, these predictions set the stage for a keenly contested political landscape in Mizoram.

What are exit polls?

An exit poll is a survey conducted immediately after people have voted for their respective candidates. The tool helps assess the support for political parties and their candidates.  Apart from Mizoram, exit polls for other states—Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana —are also declared.  As exit polls are just indications, they cannot be believed blindly.