Khuma wins CCpur's heart, close call expected in most ACs
Source: The Sangai Express

Churachandpur, March 09 2022: Until the EVMs churn out the exact figures to confirm who are winning, the battle for 6 assembly segments in Churachandpur and Pherzawl districts remains too close to call.

As results are due later today many of the candidates who have predicted them winning will have to make an uneasy retreat but there is one candidate who stood-out from the crowd - Khuma Hauzel, an independent candidate from Churachandpur is already winning the hearts, young and old.

The exit polls have drawn their own conclusion but, on the ground candidates are still playing their cards close to the heart.

Sitting BJP MLA Hangkhanlian and former DGP LM Khaute (JD-U) are running neck-and-neck in the prestigious Churachandpur AC .

H Mangchinkhup (INC), who is the face of protest during the height of the anti-tribal bills too is also capable of springing a surprise, according to local analysts.

The former editor Th Thangzalian (NPP) insisted on results, not assessments as he held the party flag high despite being discounted by his own party.

Khuma wins CCpur's heart, close call expected in most ACs

Unsurprisingly an independent candidate Khuma Hauzel, now dubbed the dark horse by many, is the only one who has something to celebrate even before the results.

He has flooded the virtual world of social media since polling day.

Now fondly referred to as 'Pa Khum' he is instrumental in ensuring amity among the crowd who are tensed due to the explosive nature of campaigns opted by the candidates.

Wherever he goes, all the voters irrespective of their affiliations cheered for him with his symbolic thumbs-up.

'The enmity among the supporters of different candidates simply disappeared into thin air.

There was a discreet silence in the polling booth until PaKhum arrived about noon.

In one common chord the voters in queue cheered for him', said a polling official on duty at one of the booths he had visited on poll day.

Video footage of his visits to various polling booths that have flooded WhatsApp groups and statuses demonstrated the same spirit.

His popularity and warm smile have doused so many volatile situations.

He was seen amongst the protester when several political parties held a protest outside the Mini-Secretariat when re-poll was discussed.

There many protesters too could be seen cheering for him and showing his signature thumbs-up amidst the heated protest that saw police briefly deploying tear-gas shells to disperse them.

He was again seen bringing laughter and lots of thumbs-up during the re-poll at Singngat AC that was already besieged with violence during the poll process and ahead of the re-poll.

His vote counts despite the fame he draws could be upsetting.

Yet 'PaKhuma' maintains in a recent interview that he has already won over the hearts of the people which is already worth celebration.

His campaign is rooted in righteousness, clean politics and the Gospel.

The millennials particularly are excited about it, he said.

At Thanlon AC where the sitting MLA Vungzagin Valte (BJP) is said to wrestled with two other heavy weights Khanthang Tonsing (NPP) and Langkhanpau Guite (IND), a top campaigner for one of the candidates said he was surprised that 'PaKhuma' was on the smartphone of everyone he knew even on the polling day.

Former Chairman of ADC Churachandpur Guite and Tonsing, the son of seasoned politician (late) Phungzathang Tonsing has given the incumbent TA and Hills minister Vungzagin Valte a close fight.

The notorious Singngat and Henglep ACs, where violence and booth capturing are reported the most, will still have a neck-to-neck battle as the winning margins believe to be within hundreds.

At Singngat AC KPA candidate Chinlunthang Zou is vying to unseat the sitting MLA Ginsuanhau Zou.

A reported non deletion of Mock poll data from Control Unit of an EVM at a particular polling booth under Singngat AC which the Returning Officer notified will not be taken up during the regular round wise counting adding more drama to the results.

It is learnt that if the winning margin of the candidate during the regular round of counting is less than the votes polled in the particular PS, then that particular PS will be taken into account using the VVPAT paper slips as per the manuals laid down by the rules.

At Henglep BJP nominee Letzamang and former MLA T Manga Vaiphei (INC) along with the last MLA TT Haokip (Shiv Sena) trio gave pollsters a hard time predicting a winner.

It was more of a straight fight for Tipaimukh AC as former MLA Ngursanglur is as confident as the sitting MLA Chaltonlien Amo to ensure another stint in the State Assembly.