Mizoram Assembly Elections: A total of 174 candidates are in the fray for the Mizoram assembly elections, which are set to take place on November 7, according to a senior official. These candidates represent five different political parties, with an additional 27 candidates running as independents, the official added.
Mizoram's Additional Chief Electoral Officer, H Lianzela, stated that all 174 candidates, including 16 women, who successfully passed the scrutiny, did not withdraw their candidatures on the final day of the process, which concluded on Monday. The number of contesting candidates this time is 35 less than the figure in 2018.
173 candidates cleared nomination process
Scrutiny of nominations was held on Saturday, with 173 candidates initially clearing the process. However, the nomination paper of Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) candidate Lorrain Lalpeklian Chinzah from the Lawngtlai East assembly constituency was accepted after being re-scrutinized on Sunday. This brings the total number of candidates contesting the Mizoram assembly polls to 174. Lorrain's paper had discrepancies as one of his 10 witnesses did not add his signature.
The ruling Mizo National Front, the main opposition ZPM and the Congress have fielded 40 nominees each. The MNF has fielded 25 incumbent legislators, while six sitting MLAs are among the ZPM candidates. The BJP, which contested in 39 seats in the 2018 polls and won one, has nominated 23 candidates this time, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), making its electoral debut in Mizoram, is contesting in four seats.
Earlier, political parties, churches, NGOs and student bodies in Christian-majority Mizoram had urged the Election Commission to reschedule the counting date as it is on Sunday, when church services are held across the state. The poll panel is yet to respond to the plea.
Mizoram elections
The Mizoram assembly, consisting of 40 seats, will undergo elections on November 7. The state will see a single phase of voting. The results of the election will be declared on December 3. The current Mizoram Assembly, led by Chief Minister Zoramthanga, is set to conclude its term on December 17. A total of 8,56,868 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the elections.
The major political entities vying for victory in Mizoram include the Mizo National Front (MNF), Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), Congress, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The MNF, led by CM Zoramthanga, secured 18 seats in 2018 and aims to extend its tenure amid competition driven by Kuki-Meitei ethnic violence in neighboring Manipur, impacting Mizoram as well.
The Congress, which had a dwindling influence in the state, managed to secure just five seats out of 40 in 2018. The Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), formed as an alliance of regional parties in 2018, focuses on governance and transparency, presenting an alternative political platform. In its debut in 2018, ZPM secured eight seats, surpassing even the Congress.
While the BJP leads the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), in which the MNF is also a participant, the saffron party is yet to establish a significant presence in Mizoram independently. Notably, Mizoram is the only state in the country without a single woman MP or MLA at present, with just four women MLAs in its history.
(With PTI Inputs)
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