Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla.
File photo: Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla.

AIZAWL: Even as counting continues for the Mizoram Assembly elections, early trends show incumbent Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla trailing in both constituencies that he had contested from – Serchhip and Champhai South.

Even the state president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), J V Hluna is trailing in Tawi constituency.

Ngurdingliana of the Congress is leading in Kolasib.

Meanwhile, according to the trends available, the Mizo National Front (MNF) is leading in 11 seats, while the ruling Congress is leading in eight Assembly constituencies.

However, official trends from the Election Commission of India (ECI) are available only for three seats– with the MNF ahead in two and the BJP in one.

Notably, B D Chakma of BJP is leading in Tuichawng.

Chakma was a minister in the Congress government before switching to the BJP.

Lalduhawma,the chief of the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), a conglomerate of seven regional parties, is leading in Scherchip constituency.

The state went for polling in a single phase on November 28. The tenure of this Assembly will end on December 15, 2018.

In the 40-member Legislative Assembly, any political party needs at least 21 seats to secure a simple majority in the State.

This time around, the voters’ turnout in Mizoram was recorded at around 80 per cent, against 83.41 per cent in 2013 Assembly elections.