The Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) has won 27 out of 40 seats in the Mizoram Assembly, securing a majority. Lalduhoma, the ZPM’s Chief Ministerial candidate, won clearly in the Serchhip constituency. However, the state Health Minister and MNF candidate R Lalthangliana lost to ZPM’s Jeje Lalpekhlua in the South Tuipui seat. Lalnghinglova Hmar of ZPM also won in the Aizawl West-II constituency, defeating state cabinet minister Lalruatkima.

Mizoram's political scene has long been dominated by the Congress and the Mizo National Front (MNF). After the 1998 polls, Zoramthanga of the MNF became Chief Minister, ending Congress’s decade-long rule. The MNF governed for ten years until Congress won in 2008 and 2013. Returning in 2018, MNF aimed for another victory this year.

The Congress campaign mainly focused on opposing the BJP, portraying both the MNF and ZPM as potential "entry points" for the BJP in the Christian-majority state. Despite contesting only 23 seats, the BJP aimed to play a role in forming the government. The Congress also highlighted the Manipur crisis against the BJP, blaming them for mismanagement in the Northeast. The MNF hoped the Manipur crisis would boost its chances in the polls.

Lalduhoma, a 73-year-old ex-police officer, is set to be the new Chief Minister of Mizoram. His Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) party, contesting for the first time, has scored big, winning 15 constituencies and leading in 12 more. This marks a major change as the Congress and MNF had been swapping power for the past three decades. Lalduhoma's victory ends the long-standing dominance of these two parties in Mizoram since its formation in 1987.

Riding on a series of triumphs, the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) has experienced notable success. Originating as a collective platform for six small regional parties and civil society groups in 2017, the ZPM was not officially recognized as a party during the last Assembly election. Back then, 38 Independent candidates were supported by this collective platform, resulting in eight of them becoming MLAs, establishing the ZPM as the second-largest presence in the Assembly.

In 2019, the ZPM attained official recognition as a party, and two years later, it achieved a significant milestone when its founder, now the chief ministerial candidate, Lalduhoma, won the Serchhip Assembly by-election. This victory followed his disqualification from the Assembly for "defecting" to the ZPM after being elected as an Independent.

The ZPM continued its winning streak by securing all 11 seats in the municipal council of Lunglei, Mizoram’s second-largest town, in April. Additionally, it claimed victory in all seven seats in by-elections to the Zemabawk local council in the same month. This victory held symbolic significance as the area falls under Chief Minister Zoramthanga’s Aizawl East I constituency.

These successes solidified the ZPM's standing as a credible third front in Mizoram politics, breaking the long-standing bipolar contest. At the core of the party's agenda is the promise of a "new system," with a key focus on implementing a Minimum Support Price for four local products: ginger, turmeric, chilli, and broomgrass. In an interview with The Indian Express, Lalduhoma asserted that the party plans to introduce the "new system" through "administrative reforms, land reforms, [and] economic reforms."

Image source: Indian Express