Aizawl: Elections to the Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC) in Mizoram have resulted in a hung house, with the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) emerging as the single largest party after securing eight of the 25 seats, officials said on Tuesday.
The Congress followed closely with seven seats, while the ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) won six.
The BJP secured two seats and two Independent candidates were also elected. A party needs at least 13 seats to command a majority in the council.
Polling for the LADC was held on December 3 and recorded a voter turnout of nearly 84 per cent.
Except for the ruling ZPM, no party contested all the seats. The MNF fielded candidates in 20 constituencies, the Congress in 14 and the BJP in 10.
In key contests, BJP Chief Executive Member N. Zangura was defeated by MNF candidate Premo Kanti by a narrow margin of eight votes.
MNF chairman V.L. Hmuaka, meanwhile, lost to Congress nominee C. Ngunlianchunga by 348 votes.
Ngunlianchunga is the sitting Congress MLA from the Lawngtlai West constituency.
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The MNF and the Congress had earlier reached an understanding to support each other during the elections and in the formation of the executive body, but both parties eventually fielded candidates against one another in several seats.
Whether the two parties will now come together to form the executive council remains uncertain.
The Lai Autonomous District Council was constituted in 1972 under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution for the Lai tribal community.
The council comprises 25 elected members and four nominated members.
