Aizawl: The Mizo National Front (MNF) on Tuesday returned to power in Mizoram after a decade, securing 26 seats, five more than an absolute majority in the 40-member Assembly. With this, the MNF has ousted the Congress from power in its last bastion in the Northeast.
The MNF had got only five seats in the 2013 Assembly polls, while the Congress had won 34. This time, the ruling Congress has got only five seats.
MNF supremo Zoramthanga met Governor Kummanam Rajasekhar on Tuesday evening and staked claim to form the government.
“MNF president Zoramthanga met Governor Kummanam Rajasekhar this evening (Tuesday) and staked claim to form government in Mizoram,” a Raj Bhavan official said.
He said that the time and date of the swearing-in ceremony of the new Council of Ministers headed by Zoramthanga would be decided soon in consultation with all stakeholders.
Earlier, a statement of the Mizo National Front (MNF) said that Zoramthanga has been unanimously elected leader of the MNF Legislature Party. A former Chief Minister, Zoramthanga, 74, was elected for a fifth term from Aizawl East-I seat, defeating Independent candidate K. Sapdanga by a margin of 2,504 votes.
