Aizawl, Nov 14 (IANS) The Mizo National Front (MNF) retained Mizoram’s Dampa Assembly seat, where the bye-election was held on November 11, and the results were declared on Friday.

According to the Election Commission, MNF candidate and the party’s Vice-President R. Lalthangliana defeated ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) nominee, singer and preacher Vanlalsailova, by a margin of 562 votes.

Lalthangliana, a former state Health Minister, secured 6,981 votes, while the ZPM candidate bagged 6,419 votes.

Congress nominee and the party’s state Vice-President and former Transport Minister John Rotluangliana received 2,394 votes, and BJP candidate Lalhmingthanga managed 1,541 votes.

K. Zahmingthanga, Vice-President of the People’s Conference, founded by former Chief Minister Brig. T. Sailo secured only 50 votes. NOTA (None Of The Above) recorded 45 votes.

The bypoll was necessitated following the death of MNF legislator Lalrintluanga Sailo on July 21.

Polling for the Dampa seat was held peacefully, with 83.07 per cent of the 20,790 eligible voters, including 10,185 women, exercising their franchise.

Altogether, five candidates from the ruling and opposition parties contested the bypoll.

The Assembly segment, which shares an unfenced border with Bangladesh and an inter-state border with Tripura, has a sizable minority population, including Chakma and Reang tribal communities.

The Dampa bypoll was considered an acid test for the ruling ZPM, led by Chief Minister Lalduhoma, as the outcome was expected to influence the upcoming Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC) elections on December 3 and the Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) polls later this year.

A victory in the bypoll would have boosted the ZPM’s morale amid increasing criticism from opposition parties, particularly the MNF.

The MNF’s win in Dampa restored the party’s strength to ten in the 40-member Assembly, enabling it to retain the post of Leader of Opposition (LoP).

A party requires at least ten MLAs to hold the LoP position; the MNF’s strength had dropped to nine after the death of Lalrintluanga Sailo.

The BJP, which has two MLAs in the house and is seeking to expand its base in the Christian-majority border state, fielded a candidate in the mixed-populated constituency to strengthen its foothold.

–IANS

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