Mizoram Assembly Elections 2023

The seat of the Mizoram Legislative Assembly is at Aizawl, the capital of the state. The Legislative Assembly is composed of 40 members, who are directly elected from single-seat constituencies. The current legislature was elected in 2018, and its term will end this December. Mizoram is all set to witness a three-cornered battle in the upcoming assembly elections, the prominent contenders being the ruling Mizo National Front, Indian National Congress, Zoram Peoples’ Movement. Since Mizoram became a separate state in 1987 after years of insurgency, it has been ruled by either the Mizo National Front or the Congress. However, the binary equation in the northeastern state is being threatened by the emergence of a new political force, the Zoram People's Movement, which upset many calculations in a key civic body election earlier this year. The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) led by Zoramthanga is looking for a second straight term in the 2023 assembly polls. In all, it has ruled for three terms since Mizoram became a state after the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi signed the Mizo peace accord, while its principal rival the Congress has had four terms in power. The Congress, under its new president Lalsawta, is fighting for reforms within the party by bringing in youngsters under its fold. However, the grand old party has seen its shine stolen by Zoramthanga's espousal of Zo refugee cause on the one hand and by the rise of the alternative ZPM. The Congress party has released a list of 39 candidates for the upcoming polls. It has fielded Lalsanglura Ralte from the Aizwal East-I constituency, currently held by Mizo National Front (MNF) president and CM Zoramthanga. In 2018, in the 40-seat assembly of Mizoram, Mizo National Front managed to win 26 seats with a vote share of 37.8 per cent in 2018. Congress secured five seats, while the BJP bagged one.