Live reporting: Consolation prize as Congress wins in Mizoram

Aizawl: The Congress, battered in four states of north and central India, ultimately had the consolation in retaining power in the north-eastern state of Mizoram today for the second consecutive time, by securing an absolute majority.The ruling party demolished its opposition who had come together under the Mizo Democratic Alliance. By afternoon, the Congress had secured 22 out of the total 40 seats.Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, 71, was elected to the state assembly for a record ninth time. He contested from two places in central Mizoram and won both seats.This is for the fifth time the Congress has come to power in Mizoram. In the outgoing assembly, the Congress had 32 seats.Thousands of Congress activists celebrated in Aizawl and across the state as election results began to pour in.Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla contested from two constituencies and won both Serchhip and Hrangturzo seats defeating his nearest MNF and Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) rivals.Lal Thanhawla has been elected to the state assembly for a record nine times since 1978.He defeated his nearest MNF rival C. Lalramzauva, a lawyer and a three-term former legislator, in Serchhip by a margin of 734 votes while he retained the Hrangturzo seat beating MPC opponent Lalthansanga by 1,628 votes.State Industries and Tourism minister S. Hiato lost his Saiha constituency to MNF nominee K. Beichhua by a narrow margin of 222 votes.Mizoram Home Minister and Congress candidate R. Lalzirliana won the Tawi seat defeating MNF nominee Lalmalsawmi by 947 votes.Mizoram's Law and School Education Minister and Congress nominee Lalsawta retained his Aizawl East II seat defeating his nearest MNF candidate Sailothanga Sailo by a margin of just 177 votes.Food, Civil Supplies, Environment and Forest Minister and Congress candidate H. Rohluna retained his Lengteng seat in southern Mizoram defeating his MNF candidate L. Thangmawia by a narrow margin of 167 votes.Only non-Mizo Congress candidate and Chakma tribe leader Buddha Dhan Chakma won the Tuichawng seat in southern Mizoram beating MNF nominee Rasik Mohan Chakma by a big margin of 8,726 votes."In the South Tuipui seat, sitting Congress legislator John Siamkunga retained the seat defeating opposition ZNP (Zoram Nationalist Party) nominee J. Lalchhuana by a margin of 1568 votes," officials told reporters.Senior Congress leader S. Laldingliana retains his Lunglei South seat defeating his nearest MNF candidate K. Pachhunga by 450 votes.Unlike the last assembly polls in 2008, the Congress did well in both southern and northern Mizoram which shares borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh.MNF candidate Lalrinawma wrested the Tuikum seat defeating Congress aspirant K. Lianzuala by a thin margin of only 14 votes.The main poll battle was between the ruling Congress and opposition coalition MDA, comprising Mizo National Front (MNF), Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) and Maraland Democratic Front (MDF), all regional and local parties.MDA's constituents MNF, MPC and MDF have fielded candidates for 31, eight and one seat respectively.With little base in the Christian dominated northeastern state, the Bharatiya Janata Party put up 17 candidates, Zoram Nationalist Party named 38 candidates and the Nationalist Congress Party had two aspirants. The BJP failed to win a single seat.Of the 40 assembly seats, 39 are reserved for tribals. One seat is for the general category.Reang tribal refugees, sheltered in seven camps in Tripura for the past 16 years, have cast their votes in Tripura through postal ballots for the Mizoram assembly polls.During the last assembly elections in December 2008, the Congress won 32 seats, the MNF three and the MDF one. The MPC and ZNP got two seats each.The MNF, which ruled the state for 10 years till 2008, is the principal opposition party.With a total population of 1,091,014, Mizoram is the only state in India where women voters outnumbered men by 9,806 in the total electorate of 690,860.Here are the regular updates :5:00 pm: Cong 32, MDA 07, Others 011:40 pm: Congress 19, MNF 3 12 noon: Congress 14, MNF 2. ZNP 111 am: Congress won 1, leading 11, MNF leading 310 am: Congress 9, MDA 1, ZNP 1 leading9:31 am: Congress leading in 5 seats in Mizoram

Live reporting: Consolation prize as Congress wins in Mizoram

Aizawl: The Congress, battered in four states of north and central India, ultimately had the consolation in retaining power in the north-eastern state of Mizoram today for the second consecutive time, by securing an absolute

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Live reporting: Consolation prize as Congress wins in Mizoram

Aizawl: The Congress, battered in four states of north and central India, ultimately had the consolation in retaining power in the north-eastern state of Mizoram today for the second consecutive time, by securing an absolute

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