Mizoram has reliably shown its Chief Minister the door after two consecutive terms since 1989. But that pattern may be disturbed in the 2018 Assembly elections, according to the predictions of the exit polls. The predictions say Mizoram is headed for a hung house.

Two of the three exit polls that covered Mizoram showed Zoramthanga's MNF prevailing in extremely close finishes, and gave some seats to the seven-party Zoram Peoples Movement (ZPM). The other predicted a head-and-shoulder lead for the MNF, even as it fell just short of the half-way mark, and saw the ZPM eating into the Congress.

All exit polls however were unanimous in one conclusion - the BJP would score a duck. However, the MNF is part of the Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA), the regional alliance that has ties to the BJP-led NDA.

The India Today-Axis exit poll saw the MNF winning 19 seats in the 20-seat Assembly, two short of the number required to form the government. It gave the Congress and the ZPM 10 seats each. This was the only exit poll that gave any breathing room at all for the MNF, allowing the possibility for post-poll tie-ups with any of the constituents of the ZPM.

The two other prominent exit polls could give anyone anxiety issues. The Times Now-CNX exit poll predicted that the MNF would win 18 seats and gave the Congress 16 seats. It gave six seats to 'others', without specific mention of the ZPM.

The Republic-CVoter exit poll was the most stress-inducing, even from the level of a cursory glance. It saw the MNF winning 16-20 seats, the Congress 14-18 seats, 3-7 for ZPM and 0-3 for 'others'. Taking average values, however contentious, the MNF wins 18 seats to the Congress's 16 seats, ZPM's 5 and 1 for the 'others'.

All these predictions suggest Mizoram is headed for a hung house, and an extremely close hanging at that. If the results do turn out this way on December 11, it could be a while before both sides manage to find sufficient support to lay claim to form the government.

The suggestion is also that Mizoram could be giving up on its habit to keep a Chief Minister for 10 years and then throw him out for another. MNF's Zoramthanga and Congress's Lal Thanhawla have held the post alternatively since 1989, for two terms at a time.