by Bhupen Goswami
Guwahati : Five-time Chief Minister of Mizoram, Lal Thanhawla, who contested from Champhai South and Serchhip, has lost both the seats. While he lost Champhai to Mizo National Front’s (MNF) TJ Lalnuntluanga, Serchhip was snatched by Zoram People’s Movement’s (ZPM) chief ministerial candidate Lalduhoma. The 76-year-old Congress 
leader has been ruling the state since December 2008. In the 2013 assembly elections, he became the chief minister for the fifth time, a record in Mizoram.Thanhawla has been the Chief Minister of the state since 2008. The Mizo National Front has taken a huge lead in the state. It is leading on 27 seats, well above the exit poll predictions. According to Election Commission, the MNF has won five and leading on 17 of 40 seats. Going by the early trends, the Congress has lost its last remaining bastion in Northeast. The BJP is leading on three seats. The main contest in the state is between the ruling Congress and MNF. Congress Chief Minister has lost from Champhai South. He was defeated by MNF’s T J Lalnuntluanga by a large margin.The state with a population of about 10 lakh is seen by the BJP as the “final frontier” in the northeast as it is in power in all other states of the region — either by winning polls or aligning with regional parties. COMMENT An aggregate of the exit polls had predicted the MNF notching 18 seats, the Congress 16 and the others six, while not giving the BJP even a single win. The MNF and Congress contested from all the 40 seats in the state, and an optimistic BJP fought in 39.
