Mizoram: Fractured mandate in Chakma council polls, political parties fail to secure magic number

Elections to Mizoram's Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) resulted in a hung House since no party was able to achieve the magic number of 11. 

According to the results issued by the state election commission, the Mizo National Front (MNF) emerged as the single largest party, garnering 10 of the 19 CADC seats up for grabs on Tuesday. 

To gain an absolute majority in the 24-member CADC, a party must win 11 seats. The council has four members that have been nominated. The poll for the Rengkhashya constituency was postponed by the State Poll Commission (SEC) owing to the death of the BJP candidate, who was purportedly slain in a skirmish on May 4. 

Also Read: Mizoram: BJP candidate for Chakma council polls killed in Lawngtlai district

According to Lawngtlai extra deputy commissioner Abraham Beirazi Khithie, the returning officer, the BJP and the Congress have obtained five and four seats, respectively, while the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) has drawn a blank. 

The MNF, BJP, and Congress all fielded candidates for all 19 seats, while the ZPM fielded 13 candidates. The deadline for registering nominations for the Rengkhashya seat is Friday, and the counting of ballots will take place on May 19, he stated. Six of the MNF's ten incumbent members, including former chief executive member (CEM) Rasik Mohan Chakma and council chairman Kali Kumar Tongchangya, kept their seats. 

Former minister Nirupam Chakma was one of five BJP candidates who won council elections. The CADC was established in 1972 for the Chakma tribals of Mizoram's southern region. The most recent CADC elections, held in April 2018, similarly produced a hung House. The MNF received eight seats, the Congress received six, and the BJP received five. 

The Congress won the Fultuli constituency, which had its election annulled. Later, the whole Congress and BJP switched to the MNF, bringing it to power. 

Due to political instability, Governor's rule was installed in the council in December of last year. The Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC), the Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC), and the CADC are the three tribal autonomous authorities in the northeastern state.