Months ahead of assembly polls, Mizoram parties ready for electoral battle

Aizawl, Sep 11 (IANS) Months ahead of the Mizoram Assembly polls, the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and the opposition Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) have finalised their candidates while the opposition Congress would soon announce their nominees.

The 40-member Mizoram Assembly will go to the polls towards the end of this year along with Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Telangana.

MNF sources said that the party has finalised its nominees for 38 of the total of 40 Assembly constituencies while the candidates for Chalfilh and Aizawl South-II seats would be finalised soon.

The MNF would field its former student and present youth wing leader Lalremruata Chhangte in the Hrangturzo assembly seat as Home Minister Lalchamliana, who is the sitting MLA, is unwilling to contest election this time.

The ZPM, which had finalised its candidates for 39 assembly constituencies except for the Chakma-dominated Tuichawng seat, has earlier announced that the party would contest the upcoming elections in alliance with local party, the Hmar People's Convention (HPC).

To check the division of non-MNF votes, the ZPM and the HPC recently signed an agreement.

The HPC would not field any candidate and would support the ZPM nominees.

The Congress last month formed a ‘Mizoram Secular Alliance’ (MSA) with two local parties - the People’s Conference and the Zoram Nationalist Party.

Party's Mizoram President Lalsawta had said that the MSA was formed to unitedly fight against the BJP. The Congress leader, referring to the resolution adopted by the MSA, urged the other political parties to join the alliance for the survival of the Mizos and their religion.

The ruling MNF had won 28 seats in the 2018 Assembly polls, while the ZPM won six seats, the Congress five, and the BJP one.

Meanwhile, the full Election Commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, visited Mizoram and during its three-day (August 29-31) stay in Aizawl reviewed the preparedness for the Assembly polls.

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