Aizawl: Mizoram’s main opposition party the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) on Monday swept the Lunglei Municipal Council (LMC) polls by winning all 11 seats.
This is the first local body poll in which the ZPM won majority after it was formed in 2017.
The party has 6 members in the 40-member Mizoram assembly.
Polling for the 11-member council was held on March 29. Of the 11 seats, 4 were reserved for women.
The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), ZPM and Congress fielded 11 seats each in the LMC polls, while the BJP contested nine seats.
ZPM president Lalliansawta said Monday’s mandate has revealed the desire for change in the existing political system by the people.
He claimed that the LMC polls were the forerunner of state assembly polls due later this year.
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“The landslide victory and the mandate given to us by the people of Lunglei in the LMC polls was a clear indication of the desire for new system being preached by our party,” Lalliansawta told PTI.
Several factors, including the alleged apathy shown to the southern district (Lunglei) during COVID-19 by the state government, the political change (new system), to be introduced by the ZPM, played a big role in the party sweeping the municipal polls, he claimed.
ZPM working president K Sapdanga said, “The thumping victory is beyond our belief.”
The LMC was created in 2022.
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