Mizoram Assembly Elections 2023: Chief Minister Zoramthanga defeated in Aizawl East I seat

Mizo National Front leader and the sitting Chief Minister of Mizoram, Zoramthanga has been defeated in the Aizawal East I seat by Lalthansanga of the Zoram People’s Movement. This is a major blow to the Mizo National Front, which has only managed to secure a meager 10 seats. The Deputy CM of Mizoram, Tawnluia has also been defeated by ZPM’s W Chhuanawma in the Tuichang constituency. The future looks grim for the MNF as the ZMP is already leading with an overwhelming majority.

The Zoram People’s Movement, an alliance of 6 parties has surged past the majority mark in Mizoram, having won 19 seats, and leading in 9. With counting still underway, it is deducible from the early poll trends, that the Zoram People’s Movement is set to form a government in Mizoram with 27 seats in their bag, defeating the incumbent Mizo National Front. The BJP has secured the third position with 2 seats, and the Indian National Congress trails behind with 1 seat.

"Mizoram has been under the MNF for a long time. And people really want change in the way they are governed. They want to end corruption," said ZPM Chief Lalduhoma to NDTV during the election campaign.

After the third round of counting, Zoramthanga was trailing behind with a deficit of over 2100 votes. The winning candidate, ZPM’s Lalthansanga bagged the Aizawl East I seat with a thumping majority of over 8000 votes.

The Mizo National Front led by Chief Minister formed the government in 2018 with 26 seats in their arsenal. In opposition, the Zoram People’s Movement had secured 8 seats, Congress had won 5 seats and the BJP trailed behind with 1 seat.