"Machine not working" : Mizoram CM Zoramthanga fails to cast vote as EVM malfunctions

AIZAWL: Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga was unable to cast his vote in the Mizoram assembly elections since the electronic voting machine was not working. The Mizo National Front (MNF) President went to cast his vote in the morning hours today at 19-Aizawl Venglai-I YMA Hall polling station under the Aizawl North-II assembly constituency.

"Because the machine was not working. I was waiting for some time. But since the machine could not work I said that I will visit my constituency and I will vote after the morning meet," the Chief Minister said speaking to ANI. "In order to form the Government, 21 seats are needed. We hope that we will be able to get more than that, maybe 25 or more. That is our hope. I believe that we will have a comfortable majority," he added.

"Even with the COVID in which there was a great problem all over the world, we fought more or less successfully against COVID. In the Covid period all over the wrold it was a fight for survival. Despite that, here in Mizoram we have done a lot of developmental work in social, in political and in the government side. Therefore, I believe that in order to continue the works that we have laid down we shall be able to form the Government," he said.

After getting out from the polling booth the Chief Minister said that there will not be a hung Assembly in Mizoram and his party will form the government. "It will not be a hung Assembly. It will be an MNF government. I have full confidence in that." he said. Zoramthanga said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not an alliance partner of the MNF though the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which the MNF is a part of, is at the Centre. "BJP is not an alliance partner.

NDA is there in the Centre. Here in the state, we don't have any alliance with BJP or any other party. So far they have not approached us, we have not approached them. We are only a partner of the NDA in the Centre, here in the state we support the NDA even on issue-based," he says.

Zoramthanga stands out as one of the most prominent figures in this election. Having previously won Aizawl East - I in the 2018 assembly elections, Zoramthanga is once again contesting from the same constituency. Polling for the Mizoram Assembly began on Tuesday, the counting of which is scheduled on December 3.

The voting began at 7 a.m. on Tuesday and will continue till 3 p.m. A total of 174 candidates are in the fray. According to the CEO Mizoram, the total number of electors in Mizoram stands at 8,51,895. Out of which 4,12,969 are male, 4,38,925 are women and one a third gender person. There are a total of 4,973 service voters in Mizoram.