Congress wins Mizoram assembly bypoll

AIZAWL: Ruling Congress candidate John Siamkunga trounced K Lalsanga, an Independent candidate supported by Opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) and the Mizoram People's Conference (MPC), by a margin of 3,307 votes in assembly bypoll to South Tuipui seat.

With this win, ruling Congress led by chief minister Lal Thanhawla has now 32 MLAs in the 40-member Mizoram Assembly.

Polling for the bypoll was held on April 16 along with the election to the lone Mizoram Lok Sabha seat and the bypoll was necessitated after Lal Thanhawla, who won from Serchhip and South Tuipui seats in December 2 assembly polls vacated the seat.

The party break-up in the state legislature now is Congress 32, MNF 3, MPC 2, Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) 2 and Mara Democratic Front (MDF) one.