AIZAWL, Oct 15: Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga on
Sunday asserted that his party, the Mizo National Front, will
return to power and bag 25-35 seats in the upcoming polls
for the 40-member assembly.
He also claimed that the Congress, which was ousted by the
MNF in the 2018 polls, could draw a blank in this year’s
election to be held on November 7.
“We are busy preparing ourselves for the upcoming assembly
polls. We are really hopeful that we shall be able to win the
majority and form the government (again)… I am expecting
between 25 and 35 seats,” Zoramthanga told PTI Video in an
interview.
“As far as the Congress is concerned, if they can get one or
two seats, we’ll deem them lucky; otherwise they can get
none… The BJP, at the most, might get two seats and they
may also get nil… and our opponent, the Zoram People’s
Movement (ZPM), if they cross 10 (seats), the party will be
lucky… Therefore, for us, there is a lot of chance to form the
government,” he said.
The ruling MNF is vying for a second straight term in the 2023
assembly polls. In all, it has ruled for three terms since
Mizoram became a state in 1987 after the then prime
minister Rajiv Gandhi signed the Mizo peace accord, while
the Congress has had four terms in power.
In the 2018 assembly election, the MNF had secured 26
seats, the Congress managed five seats, the BJP won one
seat, while the ZPM clinched eight seats.
Earlier this week, addressing party workers, Zoramthanga
had said the MNF is confident of retaining power as its
influence was steadily increasing over the past few months
and a “wave was discernible” in its favour.
Zoramthanga, during the interview, also said that despite the
Covid-19 pandemic, his government has managed to usher in
development throughout Mizoram.
“We have been in power for five years, but it has been an
unlucky period due to the Covid-19 pandemic… the economy
breaks down like it happens in other parts of the world…
Nevertheless, we tried our best and development to a great
extent, is spreading across Mizoram,” he said. (PTI)
