Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga on Friday exuded confidence that his party MNF will retain power in the next assembly polls and has 10 “safe” seats where the opposition’s strength is “negligible”.

The polls for the 40-member assembly are due later this year.

“As of now, we have 10 safe seats out of 40 assembly constituencies. In such segments, the influence of the opposition is negligible. There is not much hope for the opposition,” Zoramthanga said at a party function here.

In the present assembly, the ruling MNF has 27 members, while the main opposition ZPM has seven MLAs, Congress five and the BJP one.

K Beichhua resigned as a minister in December last year and was later expelled from the MNF.

“Look at East Tuipui, Khawzawl, Saitual, Lengteng, Kolasib and Serlui constituencies. They (the opposition parties) have little chance of winning (these seats). Even in Aizawl, their strength is steadily going down,” the chief minister said.

Hitting out at the main opposition Zoram People’s Movement, the MNF chief said they have “no proper policy”.

“The MNF will retain power as the opposition will not pose a big threat to the party,” he said.

A 20-member team of the Election Commission of India is scheduled to visit Mizoram on August 29.