Aizawl: Mizoram's Congress chief minister Lalthanhawla has claimed that his party would retain
power in the forthcoming assembly elections.The chief minister is contesting from two seats, his home turf Serchhip and nighbourig Hrangturzo seat
in Serchhip district.
Polling will be held on November 25.
The four-time chief minister is facing tough competition in Serchhip from C. Lalramzauva, an advocate and candidate of Opposition Mizoram Democratic Alliance (MDA).
But Lalthanhawla is confident of winning both the seats. All the 32
sitting Congress MLAs except one (Nirupam Chakma) have been given tickets.
Congress has put up candidates for all 40 seats.
In Hrangturzo seat, where the CM is contesting, the seat is presently held by Lalthansanga of the Mizoram's People's Conference.
The Congress bagged 32 seats in the 2008 assembly polls.
Lathanhawla has contested and won six times from his seat and lost only once in 1998 to a
retired engineer K Thangzuala of the Mizo National Front (MNF).
This time, MDA, the three-party alliance of the MNF, Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) and the
Maraland Democratic Front (MDF) is trying to repeat the 1998 results, in which the Congress was
defeated. .
In 2008, Lalramzauva, who contested the polls from Serchhip constituency on a Zoram
Nationalist Party (ZNP) ticket, lost to Lalthanhawla by a margin of 952 votes and by a margin
of 1,399 votes in 2003.
The chief minister says, development will be the main issue in the elections this time.
