The incumbent chief minister and Congress candidate Lal Thanhawla has lost in two seats in 2018 Mizoram assembly elections. He was contested from Champhai South and Serchhip constituencies.

TJ Lalnuntluanga of Mizo National Front (MNF) triumphed over Thanhawla in Champhai South assembly seat in Mizoram by 1,049 votes.

Independent candidate C Lalremliana finished third, securing 3,957 votes.

Lalnuntluanga received 5,212 votes, while Thanhawla secured 4,163 votes, according to Election Commission (EC) data.

Independent candidate Lalduhoma pulled off a nail-biting win against Thanhawla in Serchhip assembly seat by just 410 votes.

Thanhawla, who was the Congress' CM for 10 years, had won the Serchhip seat last time by 734 votes.

In Serchhip, Lalduhoma received 5,481 votes, while Thanhawla secured 5,071 votes, according to EC data.

MNF candidate C Lalramzauva finished third securing 4,313 votes.

This was the fifth term for Thanhawla as the chief minister of Mizoram, which is a record for the state. Previously, he was the chief minister during 1984-86 and from 1989 to 1998. He was also successfully contested the Lok Sabha elections nine times between 1978 and 2013.

Mizoram is one of the five states where elections were held between 12 November and 28 November.

These polls are seen as a bellwether of the 2019 general elections.

Mizoram is the last bastion of the Congress in the northeast. In the 2013 elections, the Congress had won 34 seats, while its main opposition the MNF got five seats and the Mizoram People's Conference bagged one seat.

The Congress and the MNF have ruled Mizoram since 1987. The BJP has set its eyes on the state this time. All other northeastern states are now ruled either by the saffron party or others supported by it.

No party in the state has so far been able to form government thrice in a row since 1987 when Mizoram became a full-fledged state.

The Congress and the MNF fielded 40 candidates each while the BJP contested in 39 seats.

First Published:Dec 11, 2018 1:54 PM IST