Congress leads in lone Mizoram seat

The ruling Congress candidate and incumbent Lok Sabha member C.L. Ruala was Friday leading by 10,000 votes over Robert Romawia Royte of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the lone Lok Sabha constituency of Mizoram, officials said.

M. Lalmanzuala of the Aam Aadmi Party was in the third position as vote count continued in eight districts of the state, bordering Myanmar and Bangladesh.

The main opposition UDF is an alliance of eight parties led by the Mizo National Front, which ruled the state for two terms (1998-2003 and 2003-2008).

Counting of votes for the by-election from the Hrangturzo assembly constituency was also continuing.

The by-poll was necessitated after Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who won from two seats in the assembly polls held Nov 25 last year, vacated the seat.