Altogether six candidates from five political parties and an independent were left in the fray for elections to Mizoram's lone Lok Sabha seat, a senior election official said on Saturday. The election will be held on April 19. Mizoram Additional Chief Electoral Officer H Lianzela said that none of the six candidates, including a woman, whose documents cleared scrutiny on Thursday, withdrew their candidatures. Saturday was the last day of withdrawal of candidature.
In the 2019 polls too, there were six candidates including a woman. The ruling Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), which is contesting the Lok Sabha polls for the first time on its own, has fielded political debutant Richard Vanlalhmangaiha, while main opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) nominated sitting Rajya Sabha member K Vanlalvena. The BJP fielded its state president Vanlalhmuaka and Congress nominated retired Mizoram Police Service (MPS) officer and former state home secretary Lalbiakzama, who is also a newbie in politics. The People's Conference party fielded well-known singer and lyricist Rita Malsawmi (46). Former BJP leader and ex-Congress worker Lalhriatrenga Chhangte (59) is contesting as an independent.
Earlier, Mizoram Chief Electoral Officer Madhup Vyas held a meeting with poll officials to discuss strategy to ensure high voter turnout in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in the state, an official statement said. The CEO expressed his concern over "lower voter turnout in Lok Sabha polls as compared to state assembly elections" in the past, it said. Elections to the lone Lok Sabha seat in Mizoram, which is reserved for Scheduled Tribe, will be held on April 19. Various issues related to voter education were discussed during Thursday's meeting, the statement said.
Lok Sabha Election 2024
The seven-phase Lok Sabha polls, the world’s biggest election exercise, will kick off on April 19 with the counting of votes set to take place on June 4 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes a bid for a third consecutive term in office. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said over 97 crore voters – 49.7 crore males and 47.1 crore females – were eligible to cast their vote in the polling process spread over 44 days and across 10.5 lakh polling booths. The elections will begin on April 19 followed by subsequent phases on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.
(With inputs from PTI)
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