Mizoram Polls: MNF Leader Zoramthanga Takes Oath as Chief Minister

MNF President, Zoramthanga took oath as the Chief Minister of Mizoram on Saturday, 15 December.

The Mizo National Front won the state elections on Tuesday, 11 December. The BJP only managed to take a lead in one seat and other parties were leading in eight seats.

The sitting Chief Minister, Congress’ Lal Thanhawla lost both the two seats he was contesting in.

The Congress was hoping to hold on to their last bastion in the Northeast. However, most exit polls on 28 November had already predicted a win for the MNF in the state, unseating the Congress party after ten years.

In the 2013 Assembly elections, the Congress had won 34 seats, while the Mizo National Front (MNF) had five and Mizoram People’s Conference bagged one seat. The BJP, meanwhile, had contested 17 seats, but did not win even one.

The Congress and the main Opposition, MNF, have fielded 40 candidates each, while the BJP is contesting in 39 seats. The MNF is an ally of BJP at Centre but has decided to fight the Mizoram polls separately. The Zoram Peoples Movement (ZPM), an alliance formed by two political parties and four groups, is contesting in 35 seats.

The various exit polls conducted on 28 November showed the Mizo National Front (MNF) taking the lead in the 40-seat state assembly elections, with the Congress coming in second.

The counting of votes for all 40 seats in the Mizoram Assembly Elections 2018 will start at 8 am on Tuesday, 11 December.

Amidst heightened security, the counting of votes for all 40 seats in the Assembly has begun. The counting is being held in 13 centres in eight district headquarters, reported The Indian Express.

The Congress party has opened their account in the Mizoram Elections, with the party leading in two seats.

MNF, the main Opposition party and the competition of the Congress, has started their tally for the day, leading in three seats.

The Mizo National Front has now widened its lead to five seats, while the BJP has taken a lead in one constituency. The Congress is still leading in two seats.

MNF has taken its lead to eight seats, while the Congress is following closely at five seats.

While the MNF has widened its lead to 18 seats, other parties have also opened their accounts, leading in three seats.

The MNF is leading in 22 seats, which is past the majority mark in the Assembly, which is 21. The Congress is leading in eight seats. The BJP is still leading in just one seat, while other parties are leading in three seats.

Two-time chief minister Lal Thanhawla is trailing in both seats he contested -- Serchhip and Champai South, after the first round of counting. In Serchhip ZPM's CM candidate Lalduhoma is leading by 75 votes, while the MNF candidate is racing ahead in Champhai South, reported The Indian Express.

While MNF leads in 23 seats, other parties have started taking a lead in five constituencies.

The lone woman minister of CM Lal Thanhawla’s cabinet, Vanlalawmpuii Chawngthu, is also trailing behind former Assembly Speaker Lalchamliana in Hrangturzo seat, reported PTI.

As counting approaches the total 40 seats, the MNF is leading in 26 seats. Congress is leading in eight seats, after the first round of counting, while BJP is leading in one seat. Other parties have picked up leads in five seats, making a total of 40 seats.

Sweets are being distributed at the Mizo National Front office (MNF) as the party leads in trends in Mizoram.

MNF has increased its lead to one more seat, with the Congress falling behind in that seat.

The Congress in-charge Szarita Laitphlang in Mizoram spoke about the elections, saying that she was confident of a Congress victory in the state.

Vanlalthmua, the BJP Secretary in Mizoram, also spoke on counting day, stating that he was confident of the BJP and alliance's win in the Mizoram elections.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla has lost from the Champhai South seat, one of the two constituencies he was contesting from, with MNF's TJ Lalnuntluanga winning the seat. The CM was trailing the MNF candidate in the constituency.

If the CM loses Serchhip, it will be historic because he has won from this seat seven times now since 1984, losing only in 1998, when his government had faced a strong wave of anti-incumbency, reported The Indian Express.

According to latest ECI data, the Mizo National Front is leading in 21 seats, Congress is leading in 4 seats, BJP leading in 1 seat, and Independents in 7 seats in Mizoram.

The MNF is leading in 28 seats, while other parties are at 6 seats. Congress is still leading in five seats, as per trends at 12:40 pm.

The Mizo National Front has won 12 seats, while the Independents have won 7 seats in Mizoram, reported ANI.

With a second loss in his home turf of Serchhip, Mizoram CM Lal Thanhawla has lost both constituencies he was contesting from - Serchhip and Champhai South. Lal Thanhawla was defeated in Serchhip by the Zoram People's Movement's (ZPM) chief ministerial candidate Lalduhoma by a margin of 410 votes, reported PTI.

As the result of the elections becomes clearer, people have started celebrating outside the MNF office in Aizawl. The party has won 14 seats out of 40 and is leading on nine seats in Mizoram, reported ANI.

The Election Commission confirmed that the Mizo National Front (MNF) has gained a majority in the 40-member assembly with 26 seats and a 37.6% vote-share, while the Congress trails at 5 with a 30.2% vote-share and the BJP at 1 with a 8% vote-share. Other parties have managed to bag 8 seats and a 22.9% vote-share.

MNF workers were seen celebrating at the party headquarters in the capital city, Aizawl, as they realised that the party was winning majority seats in the 40-member assembly.

Sources at the Chief Minister’s office told PTI that Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla was likely to tender his resignation to Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan around 5 pm.

Speaking to ANI, MNF leader Zoramthanga, confirmed that the party, which had gained a majority in the 40-member assembly, would be forming the new government independently in the state and that there was no need for a coalition government.

He also said that as soon as he assumed office as the new Mizoram chief minister, the first three things he would focus on were: the prohibition on liquor, the repair of roads and the implementation of the Social Economic Development Programme (SEDP), which he called the party’s “flagship programme”.

As the counting of votes for Mizoram state assembly elections wrapped up, the final numbers, as provided by the Election Commission, declared the Mizo National Front as the winner with 26 seats.

With this, the MNF under its leader, Zoramthanga, will return to power in the state after 10 whole years of it being under the Congress rule.

MNF chief Zoramthanga met with Mizoram Governor K Rajasekharan to stake claim to form the new government, after the party secured 26 out of 40 seats in the state’s assembly elections.

After leading the Mizo National Front (MNF) to power in Mizoram, chief minister-designate Zoramthanga on Tuesday, 11 December, said he would impose total prohibition in the state as promised by his party, PTI reported.

In the run up to the polls, liquor was a major political issue. While the Congress was against total prohibition, the MNF wanted a complete ban. The BJP had taken a middle path by proposing to ban the liquor coming from outside the state and encourage only locally produced ones.

Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi accepted his party’s defeat in Mizoram graciously, by saying that he wished to congratulate the party (MNF) that won, in the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet stated his congratulations to the Mizo National Front (MNF) for its “impressive victory” in Mizoram’s 40-member assembly elections, where the BJP managed to secure only one seat.

MNF President, Zoramthanga, is likely to swear in as the new Mizoram Chief Minister on Saturday, 15 December.

Half of the newly elected legislators in the Mizoram Assembly are first time MLAs, PTI reported.

The Mizo National Front (MNF) which bagged 26 seats in the Assembly election has 14 first time MLAs. Five out of the eight Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) legislators are also first time MLAs.

Among the 20 first-time legislators, is T J Lalnuntluanga of the MNF who defeated outgoing Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla from Champhai South seat.

Ramthanmawia and Dr Z R Thiamsanga, both from the MNF, won from East Tuipui and Champhai North seats respectively in Champhai district. They are the senior-most first time MLAs aged 61 years and 60 years respectively.

Mizo National Front (MNF) leader Zoramthanga was Saturday, 15 December, sworn in as Mizoram's new chief minister.

Zoramthanga was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor K Rajasekharan at a ceremony in Aizawl.

The MNF president took the oath in Mizo language.

The new Mizoram chief minister, Zoramthanga, on Saturday said his party, the Mizo National Front(MNF), has no intention of leaving the BJP-led NDA and North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).

He said combating alcoholism and drug addiction would be one of the top priorities of his government and it would take up development projects from Day One.

"There is no intention at this juncture to leave the NDA and NEDA", he told reporters at Raj Bhavan in Aizawl after taking oath as the new chief minister of the state.

Although facing criticism from certain sections in the Christian-dominated state for joining hands with the BJP, Zoramthanga said the MNF's ties with the NDA and NEDA will continue.

He said that the main thrust of his government would be economic development.