Aizawl: In a significant political upheaval, the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) party secured a landslide victory in the Assembly elections in Mizoram and ousted the Mizo National Front (MNF), an ally of the BJP at the Centre.
Led by Lalduhoma, 74, a former IPS officer, the ZPM won 27 seats, six more than the majority mark in the 40-member Mizoram Assembly.
The ruling MNF faced a crushing defeat in the elections, wining only ten seats, with outgoing Chief Minister Zoramthanga failed to retain his Aizawl East-1 constituency.
The opposition Congress, which had Mizoram for many years, managed to win only in one seat, while the BJP has increased its tally from one in the last assembly to two seats in this Christian-majority state.
Accepting people’s mandate, Zoramthanga cited that the ‘anti-incumbency and Covid-19 onslaught are the main factors’ for his party’s defeat in the state assembly polls which were held on November 7.
“Because of the anti-incumbency factor and people’s dissatisfaction with our performance due to the Covid-19 onslaught, I lost my government,” Zoramthanga, who lost the Aizawl East-1 seat to ZPM’s Lalthansanga by 2,101 votes, told reporters.
Nine of the 11 cabinet ministers in Zoramthanga’s cabinet failed to retain their seats and lost to ZPM candidates. The only two ministers who retained their assembly seats are Lalchhandama Ralte and Robert Romawia Royte.
Zoramthanga called on Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati on Monday evening and submitted his resignation following the poll debacle.
“… I have accepted his resignation and asked him to continue till the new government assumes office,” Governor Kambhampati posted on X.
ZPM’s President and designated Chief Minister Lalduhoma who retained his Serchhip seat defeating his nearest MNF rival J. Malsawmzuala Vanchhawng by a margin of 2,983 votes, described the elections as expected for the party.
“We were expecting and we were not surprised with our landslide victory. We will now form the new government and initiate new policies to revive and reinvent Mizoram,” Lalduhoma said.
Earlier, ZPM Vice President Dr. Kenneth Changliana said that all the newly elected ZPM legislators will meet Governor Kambhampati on Tuesday to stake claim for forming the new government.
“We will meet the Governor tomorrow after holding a consultative meeting of newly elected MLAs and senior party leaders,” Changliana said.
Mizoram BJP president Vanlalhmuaka said that the saffron party “will be part in the new government” in Mizoram.
However, Changliana said that the ZPM will not have alliance either with the Congress or the BJP. “ZPM will form government on its own. We will not need anyone support. We will work together with the BJP in the centre as it is leading the government but not as a party,” he said.
Polling was held on November 7, and over 80 per cent of the state’s 8.57 lakh voters exercised their franchise. A total of 174 candidates, including 18 women, were in the fray.
The MNF, ZPM and Congress contested 40 seats each, while the BJP fielded candidates in 23 seats. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which contested the assembly polls here for the first time, fought in four seats. Also, there were 17 Independent candidates.
