Congress-mukt Northeast: MNF set to form government in Mizoram

Mizoram, the only state in the northeast where Congress was still in power is now looking at a change in leadership as early trends set in and make way for the resurgence of Mizo National Front (MNF). MNF is already leading in 23 seats while Congress is ahead in 14. BJP is still not been able to make inroads in the state while two independent candidates are ahead in their respective constituencies.

40 Assembly seats in the state went to polls on November 28 wherein a total of 201 candidates participated. The key parties in the state being the Congress, Mizo National Front (MNF), Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), and Bharatiya Janata Party. While the MNF is already inching towards the majority mark, it might be an end to Congress’ rule in the entire northeast. While MNF and BJP contested on all 40 seats, the ZPM battled it out on 35 seats

Congress has lost its last bastion in the Northeast as Mizo National Front (MNF) has won the assembly elections. The majority mark in the state Assembly is 21. The MNF is headed towards majority, while the Congress trails far behind in the 40-seat Assembly.
Mizoram had remained the Congress’s last bastion in the Northeast. Since 2016, the Congress has lost Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura to BJP and its allies. The Congress will not lose this state to the BJP but the MNF. Though MNF has ruled out alliance with any party, the BJP has set its eyes on the state and is likely to make every effort to form an alliance with the MNF because this will give the BJP complete dominance of the Northeast, a prospect unimaginable just five years ago. If the BJP is able to forge an alliance, all the northeastern states will be ruled either by the saffron party or its allies.
Since 1986, the government has shifted between the Congress and the MNF — each lasting not more than two terms. The MNF ruled Mizoram from 1998 to 2008 after an almost 10-year Congress reign.

Led by former chief minister and former secessionist leader Zoramthanga, the MNF was founded by Laldenga in 1959 to protest against the inaction of the Indian government when a famine ravaged the Mizo areas of Assam. It staged a major uprising in 1966, followed by years of underground activities. In 1986, it signed the Mizo Accord with the Union government, renouncing secession and violence.
The MNF won elections and formed state government in Mizoram twice, first under Laldenga (1986–88) and then under Zoramthanga (1998–2008). In 2008, it suffered a strong anti-incumbency wave and won only 3 seats in the elections.