Mizoram Election: Local parties lead, Congress-BJP alliance trails

Assembly elections were conducted in five states of India, with results from four states announced on Sunday, December 3, 2023. The latest updates from Mizoram indicate that postal voting results have been disclosed since 8 o'clock in the morning, and EVM counting has commenced. Reports suggest that local parties in the state are dominating, and the Congress is not anticipated to achieve the desired success. However, the BJP is also not emerging as the victor. Initial trends indicate that the Zoram People's Movement is leading, with their candidates on the path to victory, but a historical conflict with the Mizo National Front is evident.

On November 7th, Mizoram witnessed approximately 77.04% voter turnout. The main contenders in the state are the ruling party Mizo National Front (MNF), Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), and Congress, with the BJP aiming to play a significant role. As of 10 in the morning, the Zoram People's Movement is leading in 21 seats, while Mizo National Front is in second place with 11 seats. Congress has taken the lead in 3 constituencies, and the BJP is moving towards the fourth position, with a candidate leading in one seat.

MNF, led by Chief Minister Zorangthama, has contested this year's election, while ZPM, under the leadership of former IPS Lal Duhoma, is a significant contender. Lal Duhoma, who headed the Zoram People's Movement, previously served as the security chief for former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He joined the Congress in 1984, and became an MP, but left the party amid controversy. After holding power for two consecutive terms, Congress lost control in Mizoram in 2018. Despite being a stronghold, Congress faced challenges regaining power in the 2023 elections, while BJP, targeted due to unrest in Manipur, somewhat overlooked the issue. Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi refrained from campaigning in Mizoram.