Regional party Mizo National Front or MNF trumped the ruling Congress party in Mizoram taking it away from Lal Thanhawla, returning to power after a decade. The MNF got a massive 26-seat majority, according to Election Commission, crossing the mid-way mark of 21. Congress could manage just five seats in the 40-member assembly. The MNF, led by Zoramthanga, a former ally of the BJP in the state, had decided to contest independently this time. Rebel leader and two-time Chief Minister of Mizoram, 84-year-old Zoramthanga is set to be the Chief Minister. Zoramthanga has already staked claim to form government and the swearing in of the new cabinet would take place next Saturday. Congress' Lal Thanhawla, five time chief minister, on Tuesday evening submitted his resignation to Governor Kummanam Rajasekhar.
Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who contested from Champhai South and Serchhip, lost both the seats. He lost Champhai to Mizo National Front's (MNF) TJ Lalnuntluanga, while Serchhip was snatched by Zoram People's Movement's (ZPM) chief ministerial candidate Lalduhoma. The figures throw Congress out of its last bastion in the north-east. Though a poll of exit polls said the MNF would beat the Congress, predictions had given the party a slim margin over the ruling Congress. It had also predicted the MNF would fall short of the majority mark of 21 in the 40-member Mizoram assembly, another prediction that was proved to be wrong.
