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The ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) registered a sweeping victory in the Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) elections on Monday, winning 17 of the 19 wards and consolidating its hold over the state’s urban political landscape.

 

Results were declared by the Mizoram State Election Commission after counting concluded smoothly at the office of the Aizawl Deputy Commissioner. Officials said the process was completed without incident.

 

The outcome marks a sharp reversal for the Mizo National Front (MNF), which had dominated the 2021 civic polls with 11 seats but was reduced to just one ward this time. The Indian National Congress also managed to secure a single seat.

 

For the ZPM, the result represents a significant leap from its performance in the previous AMC elections, where it had won six seats. The emphatic mandate is expected to further strengthen the party’s position in Mizoram’s municipal governance and policy direction.

Also read: Home voting begins for elderly in Aizawl civic polls

 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which contested 11 wards, failed to open its account.

 

All three principal parties, ZPM, MNF and the Congress, had fielded candidates in all 19 wards. In total, 68 candidates, including 28 women, contested the elections. Six wards were reserved for women, and notably, all six were won by ZPM candidates, underlining the party’s broad-based support.

 

According to the State Election Commission, voter turnout stood at 62.77 per cent in the April 21 polls, with over 2.39 lakh eligible voters participating. State Election Commissioner H. Lalthlangliana said counting began at 8 a.m., with early trends indicating a decisive lead for the ZPM across multiple wards.

 

The Aizawl Municipal Corporation, constituted in 2010 under the Mizoram Municipalities Act, 2007, comprises 19 wards. While the Congress won the inaugural civic polls, the MNF swept the subsequent elections in 2015 and 2021 before this latest shift in political fortunes.

 

Political observers said the outcome reflects a consolidation of urban support for the ZPM, which has been expanding its influence across Mizoram in recent years.