Mizoram, Chhattisgarh vote amid frenzied enthusiasm

GUWAHATI, Nov 7: Voting to the 40-member Mizoram legislative assembly began at 7am today with the State witnessing a four-cornered contest between the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), Congress and the BJP.

Enthusiastic voters turned up at polling booths from early morning hours to exercise their franchise.

Polling has been peaceful with no incidents of violence reported from any parts of the State. There were, however, a few incidents of EVM malfunctioning in a few polling stations that delayed start of the exercise.

Mizoram Chief Minister and MNF chief Zormathanga, meanwhile, said his party will come to power for the second consecutive term.

“I have full confidence that we will be able to form the government with an absolute majority. It will not be a hung assembly. It will be an MNF government, I have full confidence in that,” the Mizoram Chief Minister said after exercising his franchise.

“In my constituency East AIzawl-I, it will be an overwhelming victory for me,” Zoramthanga said.

Meanwhile ZPM chief Lalduhoma also exuded confidence that his party will be able to topple the MNF from power and that they will form the government on their own.

“We are going to form the government alone, we are confident. They (MNF and the Congress) are not confident. People know that ZPM is going to form the next government,” Lalduhoma told reporters.

The Congress and the BJP, too, are hoping to have a good show in the hustings.

Meanwhile, in Chhattisgarh, voting began in 20 assembly constituencies in the first phase with heavy security arrangements made for the exercise.

A CRPF commando was injured in an IED blast triggered by Maoists in Sukma district. Although voting was slow in the initial hours of polling, it slowly gathered pace as the day progressed.