Aizawl, Aug 31 (IANS): Mizoram's ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) has swept the local body elections by securing a majority in 324 Village Councils (VC) and 262 wards in Local Councils (LC), the state poll panel said on Sunday.

Amidst rising Covid-19 cases, polling was conducted in 550 VCs, equivalent to a Gram Panchayat, and 59 LCs, equivalent to municipal bodies, on August 27 while strictly maintaining social distancing and other government guidelines.

Twelve VCs were earlier won uncontested, while polling was deferred in 8 VCs and 24 LCs to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Officials of Mizoram State Election Commission (MSEC), which conducted the polls, said that the MNF won 58.91 per cent of VCs and 84.75 per cent of LCs.

The main opposition Congress won 96 VCs (17.45 per cent). The Zoram Peoples Movement (ZPM), a local party which contested election for the first time after being registered as a political party in July last year, won 38 VCs (6.91 per cent) while the independent candidates secured 23 VCs (4.18 per cent).

There was no clear majority in some VCs.

In the LC polls, the MNF won 50 (84.75 per cent) out of 59 LCs while Congress won 4 LCs (6.78 per cent) and ZPM one even as 4 LCs remained hung.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which has an MLA in the 40-member Mizoram assembly, fielded many candidates in the VCs and the LCs, but none were elected.