With the results of assembly polls in the four states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Telangana declared, all eyes are now on Mizoram, the Northeastern state, where counting of votes started at 8 am today.
Mizoram had gone into polls on November 7, and counting of votes was supposed to begin on Sunday along with the four states. However, the Election Commission (EC) deferred the counting by a day as Sunday holds a special significance for the Christian-majority population in the state.
According to the India Today-Axis My India exit poll, the opposition Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), led by Lalduhoma, is predicted to secure a substantial victory, with expectations of winning 28-35 seats. In contrast, the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) is anticipated to secure only 3 to 7 constituencies. Mizoram witnessed a robust voter turnout, with over 80% of its 8.57 lakh voters participating in the democratic process. A total of 174 candidates, including 18 women, contested in the 40-member state assembly.
To form a government in Mizoram, a party needs to surpass the halfway mark of 21 seats. The main contenders in the election included the MNF, ZPM, and the Congress, each fielding candidates in all 40 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) contested in 13 seats, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), making its debut in Mizoram's assembly polls, participated in four seats. Additionally, 17 Independent candidates were in the electoral fray.
In the 2018 assembly polls, the MNF, part of the BJP-led NDA, secured victory in 26 seats, displacing the Congress from power. The ZPM won eight seats, and the Congress, which had previously held 34 seats in 2013, was reduced to just five. The BJP made its first mark in the Northeastern state by winning one seat.
The ZPM chief, Lalduhoma, expresses confidence in the exit poll predictions, anticipating a majority for his party. Meanwhile, Mizoram Chief Minister remains optimistic, expressing the intent to form a government with the support of other parties.