Mizoram Vidhan Sabha Election Results Counting Day LIVE Updates: Congress suffers massive setback, CM Thanhawla loses from both constituencies
The Mizo National Front returned to power in Mizoram after 10 years Tuesday, capturing 21 seats in the 40-member Assembly and inflicting a humiliating defeat on the Congress.
MNF is ahead in five other seats, Election Commission (EC) sources said.
With the results, the Congress has now lost power in all the seven states in the northeast.
The party which had bagged 34 seats in the 2013 Assembly elections managed to win just five seats this time.
Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla suffered defeat from both the seats he contested, including his home turf Serchip. He also lost from Champai South constituency.
ALSO READ | Mizoram Assembly Elections 2018: Why is it difficult for Congress to remain in power?
HERE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MIZORAM ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS RESULTS
17:22 pm: We will not have any coalition govt either with BJP or any other ways because my party can form the govt on its own as we have got 26 seats out of 40. We're a part of NEDA(North-East Democratic Alliance)&NDA but we wouldn't like to join Congress or UPA: Zoramthanga, President of Mizo National Front(MNF)
17:20 pm: Since I am going to form the govt now my first priorities will be three things—to impose a prohibition on liquor, repair roads & implement Social Economic Development Programme (SEDP) which is our flagship programme : Zoramthanga, President of Mizo National Front(MNF)
15:22 pm: Zoramthanga, the MNF’s chief ministerial candidate, is ahead in Aizawl East I by 1,474 votes. Trailing him is independent candidate K Sapdanga.
14:22 pm: Lawmawma Tochhawng of the Mizo National Front has the narrowest margin of victory so far – he defeated independent candidate Lalrinpuii by 72 votes. The seat was held by the Congress earlier.
13:21 pm: People’s Right to Information and Development Implementation Society of Mizoram (PRISM), an anti-corruption watchdog which converted to a political party last year in November hasn't fared well. The party is contesting only 13 seats. Vanlalruata, PRISM leader contesting from Aizawl North 1 and Serchhip has won only 14 and 11 votes respectively from the constituencies as of now.
13:00 pm: As per the Election Commission, BJP is leading from one seat, Congress from 5, Mizo National Front has won 7 and leading from 15 and the Independent has secured one seat and is leading from 8 seats.
As per the Election Commission, BJP is leading from one seat, Congress from 5, Mizo National Front has won 7 and leading from 15 and the Independent has secured one seat and is leading from 8 seats. 
12:33 pm: Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla has now lost both constituencies he contested from. He had contested Serchhip and South Champhai.
12:22 pm: BJP state president, JV Hluna, has lost his deposit in Tawi constituency.
12:20 pm: BD Chakma of the BJP has won Tuichawng seat. Chakma was a minister in the Congress government before he switched to the BJP.
11:55 am: Mizoram CM Lal Thanhawla defeated by MNF's T J Lalnuntluanga by 856 votes in Champhai South: EC sources.
11:33 am: Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla has lost from Champhai South seat, MNF's TJ Lalnuntluanga has won
11:23 am: The lone woman minister of his cabinet, Vanlalawmpuii Chawngthu, is also trailing behind former Assembly Speaker Lalchamliana in Hrangturzo seat. Former Chief Minister and MNF president Zoramthanga is leading in Aizawl East-I seat against ZPM's K Sapdanga. Finance Minister Lalsawta is trailing in Aizawl East-II seat where Robert Romawia Royte of the MNF is leading.
11:00 am: MNF way ahead of its opponents, leads in 27 seats
10:16 am: Congress' ambition to keep its last bastion in Northeast safe suffers setback, MNF ahead on 25 seats
10:00 am: Setback for Congress as MNF ahead on 22 seats after counting of votes in 37 seats
09:53 am: Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla is trailing in both constituencies he contested from – Serchhip and Champhai South.
09:42 am: BD Chakma of BJP is leading in Tuichawng. Chakma was a minister in the Congress government before switching to the BJP.
09:40 am: Lalduhawma, the chief of the Zoram People’s Movement, a collective of seven regional parties, is leading in Scherchip constituency.
09:33 am: Out of the 30 seats, MNF ahead on 15 seats, Congress on 12
09:22 am: Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla from Congress trailing in Serchhip
09:13 am: MNF ahead on 16 seats, Congress on 11 seats, others on 2 seats
09:03 am: MNF now ahead on 12 seats, Congress on 10.
09:00 am: MNF now ahead on 8 seats, Congress on 3.
08:59 am: Early trends show MNF ahead on two seats, Congress on one
08:33 am: Deputy Inspector General (Northern Range) Lalbiakthanga Khiangte had earlier said there would be a three-layer security cordon with eight companies of the Central Armed Police Force, the state armed police and unarmed police personnel during the counting, PTI reports.
08:17 am: MNF and Congress lead in one constituency each so far.
08:00 am: Counting of votes for Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Telangana begins
06:17 am: The Indian National Congress has been in power in the state since 2008. Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla is hoping two win a third consecutive term. Congress is being challenged by the main opposition party Mizo National Front (MNF). The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a limited presence in the North Eastern state and is hoping to open win a seat for the first time there.
06:12 am: In 2013, Congress had managed to win 34 out of the 40 seats. The MNF came a distant second with five seats. MPC had won one seat.
06:10 am: Counting of postal ballots will begin at 8.00 am. The process to count votes from the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will begin half-an-hour after the postal ballots are counted.
MIZORAM ELECTIONS: POLITICAL HISTORY
Mizoram was originally a part of Assam. It became a Union Territory in 1972. After the tripartite agreement was signed between the Centre, the Mizoram government and the erstwhile terrorist outfit MNF in 1986, ending the two-decades long terrorism in the northeastern state, Mizoram was established on February 20, 1987.
Mizoram became the 23rd state of India and the first state polls were conducted in 1987,and the first state polls were conducted in 1987. Although the MNF won in 1998 and 2003, the Congress has been in power under CM Lal Thanhawla since 2008, winning the polls in 2008 and 2013.
ALSO READ| Mizoram Assembly Elections 2018: All you need to know about north-eastern state
KEY PLAYERS AND MAIN BATTLES TO WATCH OUT FOR
The key players in the assembly elections are the Chief Minister Thanhawla (Congress), Vanlalzawama of MNF, Lalduhoma of ZPM and BJP's BD Chakma.
Key contests in Mizoram include Serchhip, the home turf of CM Thanhawla. He is also contesting from Champhai South assembly seat. ZNP founder Lalduhoma contested against Thanhawla against CM Thanhawla in Serchhip. Lalduhoma is also contesting from the Aizwal West I seat. The ZNP is part of the ZPM alliance.
Interestingly, ZPM chief Reverend Zaichhawna Hlawndo also contested from the Serchhip and Aizawl West - I seats. Hlawndo's two daughters Lalruatfeli and Lalhrilzeli too contested the Mizoram assembly elections.
The chief of People's Representation to Identity and Status of Mizoram (PRISM) Vanlalruata is hoping to make debut in Mizoram assembly. He contested from Serchhip and Aizawl North I seats.
The National People's Party state unit convener Lianzuala contested from the Dampa and Mamit seats against Lalawmpuia Chhangte, the chief of Mizoram unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
So will Congress pull off a hat-trick or MNF and BJP will emerge victorious? WATCH INDIA TV FOR ALL UPDATES ON MIZORAM ASSEMBLY ELECTION RESULTS.
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