"BJP to perform better than exit poll expectation": State president Vanlalhmuaka on Mizoram assembly election

Aizawl (Mizoram) [India], December 2 (ANI): Reacting to the exit polls of the Mizoram assembly election, Bharatiya Janata Party state president Vanlalhmuaka said on Saturday that the party will perform better.
"This time we are expecting up to five seats. We are expecting great improvement here in our state. We will perform better than exit poll expectations this time because in Mizoram it is very difficult to do exit polls," Vanlalhmuaka told ANI.
According to the exit polls, the two regional players --MNF and ZPM--are in the race to form government in Mizoram, with most predictions stating that the ruling party led by Chief Minister Zoramthanga has an advantage in the northeastern state while there is also a possibility of a hung assembly.
In elections held on November 7 to the 40-member Mizoram assembly, the Mizo National Front (MNF) faced a challenge from the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), Congress and BJP.
According to India Today-Axis My India poll predictions, the Zoram People's Movement is poised for a massive victory in Mizoram and could win 28-35 seats.
It said the ruling MNF is expected to win 3 to 7 seats with 27 per cent votes while ZPM will win 28-35 seats with 49 per cent votes. Congress is poised to get 20 per cent votes, the exit poll said.
Times Now-ETG poll gave 14-18 seats to MNF with 32.20 per cent vote share, 10-14 to ZPM with 29.30 per cent votes and said that Congress is expected to get 9-13 seats with 27.80 per cent vote share.
Jan Ki Baat poll gave 10-14 seats to MNF with a vote share of 22 per cent, 15-25 seats to ZPM with a vote share of 40 per cent and predicted that Congress will get 30 per cent votes and 5-9 seats.
India TV-CNX poll predicted 14-18 seats for MNF and 12-16 seats for ZPM. It said Congress is expected to get 7-10 seats.
Republic TV gave a 32.60 per cent vote share to the MNF, 14.60 per cent to ZPM and 31.20 per cent to Congress. It gave 17-22 seats to MNF, 7-12 to ZPM, Congress to get 7-10 seats and one seat to BJP.
P-Marq poll said that MNF will win 14-20 seats, ZPM 9-15 seats, Congress 7-13 seats and others 0-2 seats.
MNF bagged 26 seats with a vote share of 37.8 per cent to emerge victorious in the 2018 polls. The Congress secured five seats and the BJP won one seat.
Issues of "identity" and people's welfare took centre stage during the run-up for assembly polls in Mizoram. Issues of "neglect of infrastructure", corruption and unemployment were also figured during the campaign of various parties.
Ethnic clashes in neighbouring Manipur also cast a shadow on the polls. MNF tried to make 'Zo unification' an electoral issue as some Kuki-Zo community members have come from the neighbouring state while some Zo-Kukis from Myanmar have also taken refuge in the state.
Though MNF is part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre, there was no alliance between the two parties at the state level.
The Congress also raised issues of culture and identity and has attacked the BJP over the issue. It has also reminded people of the Mizo accord signed during the party rule, which heralded peace in the state.
BJP leaders talked about their commitment to the welfare of the people of the state. (ANI)