The counting of votes for the Assembly poll in the state began on Monday in Mizoram where the battle is between two regional parties, the ruling MNF and ZPM.
Though the counting of votes was planned initially on Sunday with the other four states, it was postponed to Monday by the Election Commission following pleas from civil society that cited Sunday as an important day in the religious calendar in the Christian-majority state.
Though there are four major contenders in Mizoram, the battle is primarily between the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM). The Congress and the BJP too have fielded candidates.
Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga hopes to retain power in the state despite the exit polls predicting a hung Assembly in the state with no party crossing the majority mark of 21 seats. He has already gone vocal that the MNF would form the government with the help of other parties.
"I hope such a situation will not be there. If it (hung assembly) comes, it is the responsibility of leaders of every party to see that they can form the government," Zoramthanga told reporters on Sunday.
ZPM leader and the party's chief ministerial candidate Lalduhoma too is "confident of winning an absolute majority in the assembly". Lalduhoma, a former IPS officer who turned politician, also claimed that there would not be a fractured mandate or hung assembly.
"I am very sure that such a situation will not arise..we are quite confident (of winning the elections)," he said in an interview with PTI Video.
"The chief minister is a false prophet. If he says they are going to form a government that means they are not forming. That is why we have confidence," he added.
In the 2018 polls, the MNF had bagged 26 seats and the ZPM won 8, relegating the Congress, which secured 5, to the third place. The BJP opened its account by winning one seat. The MNF won two more seats in the subsequent bypolls.
Prominent seats include Aizawl East 1, which is the sole unreserved constituency in the state. Zoramthanga and Lalthansanga of the ZPM are the key candidates from this constituency.
Serchhip saw an intense clash between ZPM's Lalduhoma, MNF's J Malsawmzuala Vanchhawng and Congress' R Vanlaltluanga.
