Silchar, Dec. 1: Speculation about possible political combinations in the event of the Mizoram poll producing a hung Assembly intensified today with less than 24 hours to go for counting of votes to begin. It has been a long wait for the electorate and political establishment alike to know the outcome of the poll, which was conducted on November 20.
Chief electoral officer Lalmalsawma said votes would be counted at 12 centres located in the headquarters of the eight districts. Lalmalsawma hoped the results of the elections to all 40 seats would be declared by late afternoon.
Electronic voting machines ? 1,220 of them ? were used in an election in Mizoram for the first time.
According to the election office, 78.47 per cent of the 5,28,192-strong electorate cast their votes, which was a marginal increase over the voter turnout of 75.04 per cent in the 1998 Assembly poll.
None of the three main parties ? the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), the Congress and Mizoram People?s Conference (MPC)-Zoram Nationalist Party combine ? is expected to form the new government on its own.
Leaders of these parties have, however, not given up hope. MPC president and former deputy chief minister Lalhmingthanga did not rule out the possibility of the next government being a coalition, but said he would not like to jump the gun and start thinking about it now.
?We will take the next step only after studying the developments,? the former deputy chief minister said.
Mizoram PCC chief and three-time chief minister Lalthanhawla said he would not align with ?parties that are known to be parochial, regional in approach and corrupt?, indicating he had reservations about leaders of the MNF and the MPC.