Unique Tale of Mizoram Elections

Mizoram, the lone North Eastern State, conducted its state assembly elections just before the 2024 General elections, saw some unexpected results and some new players on the field. It experienced a one-day delay in vote counting. Originally scheduled for December 3, the counting day was rescheduled to December 4. The representations collectively requested a revision of the counting date from December 3, 2023 (Sunday), to another weekday. Chief Electoral Officer Madhup Vyas said that the poll body agreed to the request as “Sunday was devoted to church duties and prayers,” and as a large section of people in this poll-bound state follows a particular religion.

The state witnessed an impressive 80.66 percent voter turnout during the polling. A total of 174 candidates contested in the Mizoram Assembly election. Of the 174, ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), and Congress had contested all 40 seats each, while BJP contested 23 constituencies.

The Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) swept off the northeastern state with 27 seats out of the total 40 assembly seats – dethroning the Mizo National Front (MNF), which got 10 seats. The BJP came a distant third with two seats, while Congress managed to get one seat in the state. ZPM’s victory in Mizoram was driven by the young voter.

Although the ZPM was not originally a single party, its undisputed leader was quite a dominant figure – Lalduhoma, a former senior police official who joined the Congress, became a legislator and a Rajya Sabha MP before founding his own forum, the Zoram Nationalist Party. For the first time in nearly four decades — after the crucial Mizoram Accord that ended a 20-year insurgency led by the MNF and brought peace to the state — a new face who is not from Congress or MNF will be in charge of the state.

Factors that led to ZPM’s massive victory

A significant point that counted with farmers was the ZPM’s declaration that it would fix minimum support prices for four key cash crops – ginger, turmeric, chilis, and broomstick plants – and buy in bulk from rural communities. ZPM and its party leaders wholeheartedly supported the Chin refugees coming from Myanmar to Mizoram even after the refusal from the central govt. As of a report, around 45,000 refugees are there in the state. Moreover, anti-incumbency played a major role in these unexpected results.

An important question to be answered in the next months is whether the BJP will be invited to join the government with ZPM, thereby putting the seal of central support on the former.

Team Profile

Shivang ShekharNews Writer

Shivang Shekhar is a dedicated LLB student at the esteemed Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi. Renowned for his proficiency in the field of law, Shivang extends his passion for data-driven content writing into the realms of political, social, and trending geopolitical topics. Whether working independently or in a team, he navigates the realms of real-time news with ease, showcasing his prowess in researching and presenting a wide range of subjects. His versatility and commitment make Shivang a standout voice in the dynamic landscape of content creation.

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