Mizoram Bypolls: MNF said it had 4,183 votes in Tuirial seat in last assembly election. (File)
The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) on Tuesday won the by-election to the Tuirial assembly seat in Mizoram by securing 39.96 per cent of the total 14,593 votes polled, as per the Election Commission.
MNF candidate K Laldawngliana defeated his nearest opponent Laltlanmawia of the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) by a margin of 1,284 votes, the EC said.
Laldawngliana secured 5,820 votes, while Laltlanmawia got 4,536 votes (31.15 per cent), it said.
Congress candidate Chalrosanga Ralte finished at the third spot by securing 3,927 votes (26.96 per cent) and BJP nominee K Laldinthara managed just 246 votes, which is 1.68 per cent of the total votes polled, it added.
Mizoram Chief Minister and MNF president Zoramthanga congratulated Laldawnglian on winning the by-poll.
"May you always be a pillar of strength for the people,” Mr Zoramthanga said in his official Twitter handle.
The MNF said it had garnered 4,183 votes in the Tuirial seat in the last assembly election while it had secured 1,637 more votes this time.
Congratulating the MNF for its win, ZPM president Lalliansawta said his party is "young" and it now has two years to train itself before facing the next assembly election in 2023.
In these two years, the party which was formed in 2017 "can take proper effort to establish a new political system and people's government in the state,” Lalliansawta said.
There are 17,911 voters in the Tuirial constituency in Kolasib district and 81.29 per cent of them cast their votes in the by-poll held on October 30, election officials said.
None of the 663 Bru community voters, who are living in Tripura transit camps, cast their votes, they said.
Thousands of the Bru tribal people have been living in six relief camps in Tripura since 1997. They had fled their homeland Mizoram to reach the neighbouring state because of ethnic clashes. By now, their number has risen to over 30,000.
The community leaders had said it would be difficult for them to go to Mizoram and vote unless special arrangements are made for them.
The bypoll to Tuirial seat was necessitated due to the death of incumbent MLA Andrew H Thangliana, who was allied with the ZPM, in August.
In the 40-member assembly, the ruling MNF now has 28 MLAs, Congress has five, ZPM and BJP have one MLA each. There are five Independent MLAs, who are allied with the ZPM.
The five MLAs had contested and won the last assembly elections as Independents as the ZPM had not obtained registration at that time.