Mizoram polls: 15% voter turnout recorded in first two hours
Around 15% voter turnout was recorded in first two hours of polling in 40 Assembly constituencies of Mizoram, Chief Electoral Officer Ashish Kundra said today. The voting, which began at 7 am, will continue till 4 pm. A total of 7,70,395 voters, including 3,94,897 women, would decide the fate of 209 candidates, including CM Lal Thanhawla, who is contesting from Serchhip and Champai South.
BJP looking to uproot Congress in this election
While Thanhawla is seeking a third consecutive term in the state, the BJP, which failed to open its account in 2013-elections, is looking to uproot the Congress in its last bastion in the northeast. Queues of enthusiastic voters were seen outside many polling stations today.
MNF Chief was among the first ones to cast vote
The former chief minister and opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) chief, Zoramthanga was among the first ones to exercise franchise at 7 am. Zoramthanga cast his vote at Ramhlun polling booth in Aizawl North-II constituency. Bru voters from six relief camps in North Tripura district arrived at Kanhmun village, which is along the Mizoram-Tripura border, where 15 temporary polling stations have been erected.
47 of 1,179 polling-booths classified as 'critical' by Election Commission
The Bru voters had to walk around 500 meters from the inter-state border to reach the polling stations, where members of local civil societies welcomed them with pork curry. Forty-seven of the 1,179 polling booths have been classified as "critical" and as many as "vulnerable" by the Election Commission. Election office sources said that forces have been deployed to ensure free and fair polls.
Each constituency has exclusive polling booth for women voters
Each constituency has a polling booth, named after a pink flower Dingdi, exclusively for women voters. These booths have women polling officials and security personnel. While the ruling Congress and opposition MNF are contesting all 40 seats, the BJP has fielded candidates in 39 constituencies.
Six independents also in fray, ZPM contesting from 35 seats
Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), a conglomerate of two political parties-the Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) and Mizoram People's Conference (MPC)-and five other groups, are in the fray for 35 seats. The National People's Party and the Nationalist Congress Party are contesting eight seats and five seats respectively. Six independents are also in the fray. In the last elections (2013), the Congress had won 34 seats.
Borders with neighboring countries sealed since Sunday for polls
Meanwhile, its main opponent, the MNF, had got five and the MPC bagged one seat. Borders with neighboring countries -- Myanmar and Bangladesh -- and states -- Tripura, Assam and Manipur -- have been sealed since Sunday in view of the polls.
