Mizoram, which is currently being governed by the Mizo National Front (MNF) under the leadership of Chief Minister Zoramthanga, is seeing a three-way contest between the MNF, Congress, and Zoram People's Movement. The political landscape of the northeastern state has been dominated primarily by issues like border disputes with Assam and Mynamar refugees.
As Mizoram votes today to elect a new government, here is a look at how CM Zoramthanga has fared:
Since the formation of Mizoram in 1986, Zoramthanga has served as the CM three times. He returned as the CM of the northeastern state in 2018 after 10 years. He had led two successive MNF governments from 1998 to 2008.
MNF, under Chief Minister Zoramthanga, has pursued a socio-economic development policy, under which it has ensured effective distribution of financial assistance in the state.
Under his leadership, Zoramthanga has focused on handling refugees from Myanmar. Since the 2021 military coup in the neighbouring country, Zoramthanga has welcomed and sheltered Chin refugees. However, his opponents, ZPM and Congress, have called Zoramthanga's policy of helping Myanmar refugees as just "optics" and have accused the state government of being inept in handling this critical issue.
Zoramthanga has emphatically said that the state has spent ₹30 crore with the aim of providing assistance and relief to the displaced people and has also sought help from the Centre to deal with the refugee crisis. It is pertinent to mention that Zoramthanga’s government denied taking the biometric details of Myanmar refugees on humanitarian grounds. The state government argued that the Central government might use the data to push the refugees out of the northeastern state.
The issue of ethnic conflict in Manipur can also possibly have an impact on the outcome of the elections. Notably, the state is hosting thousands of refugees, including those belonging to the Kuki community of violence-hit Manipur. Notably, the Kukis share ethnic bonds with Mizos in Mizoram.
The Mizoram government took it upon itself to bring displaced kids from Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Manipur back into the mainstream and has enrolled over 8,000 children in schools in the state.
As many as 8,119 children displaced from Myanmar, Bangladesh, and violence-hit Manipur have been enrolled in various schools in Mizoram. In August, the state Education Minister, Lalchhandama Ralte, stated that a total of 6,366 displaced children from Myanmar, 250 from Bangladesh, and 1,503 from Manipur have been enrolled in schools across the hill state.
MNF has been batting for Mizo sub-nationalism and seeking to foster unity among Zo ethnic tribes. Zoramthanga is highly confident of retaining power in the state. However, the ABP News-CVoter Opinion Poll projects the possibility of a hung assembly as no party appears to be securing a clear majority on its own.
In these upcoming elections, the ruling MNF, led by Chief Minister Zoramthanga, aims for a second consecutive term in office. The MNF has governed for three terms since Mizoram's inception as a state. The Congress has enjoyed four terms in power.
According to the ABP News-CVoter survey, the upcoming elections might see a fresh twist in state politics with the emergence of a new political entity, the ZPM, which disrupted established calculations in a significant civic body election earlier this year.
As for vote share percentage projections, MNF, which secured 37.7% of the vote share in the last election, is projected to receive 30.5%, signalling a swing of -7.2%. INC, with a 29.9% vote share in the previous election, is projected to receive 28.3%, a swing of -1.6%. ZPM, a rising political force with a 22.9% vote share in the last election, is anticipated to secure 27.1%, a swing of 4.2%. Other parties, holding a 9.5% vote share in the last election, are expected to garner 14.2%, indicating a swing of 4.7%.