Aizawl: The fate of seven candidates will be decided Saturday in the byelection to the Chalfilh assembly constituency in Mizoram’s Aizawl district.
Lalvenhima Hmar of the MNF, whose Peoples Conference party, the breakaway group of the MPC merged with the MNF, might be a dark horse if the Hmar community, comprising at least one third of the voters in the constituency decided to support him.
Otherwise, the majority support would be in favour of the ruling Congress with its promise to give financial assistance upto Rs one lakh to beneficiaries. The seat has an electorate of 17,054.
The constituency borders Manipur’s Churachanpur district and 13 polling stations out of 29, most of them on the extreme border area have been identified as ‘sensitive’.
The last election held in 2008 saw the return of Congress as the late Chawngtinthanga defeated Lalvenhima Hmar of the MPC by a margin of 541 votes.
The MNF, even when in power had never won from the constituency except when in alliance with the MPC.
The MPC nominee H Laltanpuia won by 526 votes in 1998 defeating Vanlalngena of Congress. (PTI)
