Mizoram Congress president Lalsawta after casting his vote.
Credit: Mizoram Congress
Guwahati: Polling for the 40-member Mizoram Assembly began at 7 am on Tuesday but CM Zoramthanga could not cast his vote due to the reported malfunction of an EVM.
Polling will continue till 4 pm.
Officials said Zoramthanga reached his polling station in Ramhlun Venglai Primary School in Aizawl North II early but had to return home as he could not cast his vote due to a malfunction of an EVM there. He is likely to be in queue again soon to cast his vote.
A large number of voters queued up in front of the polling stations since early morning in the small hilly state having a track record of over 80 per cent polling in the past.
Lalsawta, president of Mizoram unit of Congress was also among the first to cast his vote.
A triangular fight among MNF and Opposition Zoram People's Party (ZPM) and Congress is expected in the state with just 8.57 lakh voters.
Mizoram is the smallest among the five states going for Assembly elections ahead of Lok Sabha polls next year.
Chief Electoral Officer, Mizoram Madhup Vyas told reporters at Aizawl on Monday that nearly 6,000 polling personnel would conduct the polling in 1,276 polling stations amid security to be manned by the state police and 50 companies of central paramilitary forces. A total of 174 candidates including 18 women are in the fray.
Officials said a total of 14,885 people have already cast their votes through postal ballots and provision of home voting for persons above 80 years and with disabilities.
Poll battle:
Elections in Mizoram have remained a straight fight between the regional MNF and Congress (since Mizoram attained statehood in 1987) but the main battle this time is expected to be between MNF and ZPM, a relatively new regional party. Congress, which lost the power to MNF in 2018, is seen as the number three party in the contest this time.
While the ruling MNF is confident of retaining power mainly due to its "pro-Mizo" stand in the wake of the conflicts in neighbouring Myanmar and Manipur, ZPM has promised voters a "new system" and corruption free government as it aims to snatch power from the MNF. Congress, however, is confident of bouncing back to power with its promise of Karnataka and Rajasthan-like welfare schemes.
In 2018, MNF bounced back to power after 10 years with 26 seats while Congress was pushed to the third spot with just five seats. Mizoram CM Zoramthanga said his party would bag at least 25 seats this time. The ZPM candidates, who contested as Independents, surprised many by bagging seven seats. MNF, ZPM and Congress are contesting in all 40 seats while BJP has put up candidates in 23 seats.