Mizoram Assembly Election Result 2018: BJP's BD Chakma wins Tuichawng, party debuts in state

In a historic result in the Assembly elections in Mizoram, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made its debut by winning the Tuichawng constituency. BJP's Buddha Dhan Chakma defeated Rasik Mohan Chakma of the Mizoram National Front (MNF) by a margin of 1,594 votes. BD Chakma was a minister in the Congress government before he switched over to the BJP. The MNF, however, has won 26 seats in the state. The Congress was able to win only 5 seats.

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The BJP had earlier commended its Tripura unit with the responsibility to garner votes from the Chakma and Bru voters in five Assembly constituencies in Mizoram. The constituencies are majorly dominated by people belonging to the two traditional communities. Over 98 per cent of the voters in the Tuichawng seat belong to the Chakma community, state BJP vice-president Pratima Bhowmick had earlier stated, according to FirstPost.

In 2016 in a similar manner, the BJP had made a debut in the southern state of Kerala when its candidate O Rajagopal had won the Nemon seat and became the first BJP parliamentary party leader in the state. 

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According to News Nation Exit Poll, Mizoram was seen as a direct contest between the Congress and MNF as in the previous elections in the state. While the survey gave 16-20 seats to the MNF, Congress was projected to win 10-14 seats. The Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and the BJP may get 5-9 and 0-4 seats respectively in the state. According to Times Now-CNX Exit Poll, the MNF was likely to win 18 seats in the Assembly. The Congress may win 16 seats. The majority mark in the Assembly is 21 seats. According to C-Voter exit poll, the MNF was predicted to win 16 to 20 seats. The Congress was likely to win 14 to 18 seats. The poll predicted 3 to 7 seats for the ZPM. In the 2013 Assembly polls, the Congress had won 34 seats under the leadership of Lal Thanhawla, while the Mizo National Front (MNF) had won five seats and the Mizoram People’s Conference bagged one seat.

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Both the Congress and the MNF were contesting on all 40 seats while the BJP had fielded candidates for 39 seats and the ZPM had contested in 35 seats. Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla was contesting from Serchhip and Champhai South Assembly seats. MNF president Zoramthanga was contesting from Aizawl East-I. Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) founder Lalduhoma was contesting against CM Thanhawla in Serchhip. He was also contesting from the Aizawl West I seat. ZPM chief Reverend Zaichhawna Hlawndo was also contesting from Serchhip and Aizawl West-I.