How Mizoram voted in the first-ever assembly election

With only a week left before the pivotal Mizoram Assembly elections, all eyes are on the parties in the fray and how they will fare in the polls.

The state is gearing up to witness the contest between the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) led by Chief Minister Zoramthanga, the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) and the Indian National Congress (INC).

Tracing back to the first-ever elections held in the state on April 8, 1972, to elect members of the 30 constituencies, 24 seats were won by Independent candidates and six seats by Congress. Though the Samyukta Socialist Party (SSP) contested 18 seats, it didn’t win any of them.

Following the elections, C Chhunga was appointed as the first chief minister of Mizoram. He had contested from the Kolasib constituency and won by a margin of 913 votes. He served as a member of the regional party Mizo Union briefly from 1972 to 1977.

The total number of electors was 1,56,901, out of which 76,318 were men and 80,583 were women. The total polling percentage was 72.90 per cent.

In the 2018 elections to the 40-member state assembly held on November 28, MNF had won with a clear majority of 26 seats while ZPM and Congress secured eight and five seats each.

Polling will be held in the state in a single phase on November 7 and counting of votes will take place on December 3.

(Based on ECI data)