Aizawl: The ruling Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee on Saturday declared the names of its candidates for the state assembly elections, slated for November 25.
The Congress led by chief minister Lal Thanhawla, which has a strength of 40 MLAs, will contest all the 40 constituencies.
All the candidates, except for nine, are sitting MLAs who are contesting from the same seats where they were elected in the last assembly elections in 2008.
Of the 32 existing MLAs, only Nirupam Chakma is left out. He is being replaced by Dr B D Chakma, a new face in politics.
PCC chief Lal Thanhawla, who had won two seats in the 2008 elections – Serchhip and South Tuipui – will be contesting from Hrangturzo, in addition to his traditional Serchhip constituency.
Hrangturzo seat is presently represented by Mizoram People’s Conference MLA Lalthansanga.
Lal Thanhawla’s younger brother Lal Thanzara, who is parliamentary secretary to the chief minister, is contesting from the same constituency of Aizawl North-III.
Home minister and senior vice-president R Lalzirliana will contest from his home constituency Tawi, carved out of major portion of the erstwhile Saitual constituency from which he got elected for three consecutive terms since 1998.
Finance minister H Liansailova is also aiming to retain his Aizawl North-II seat, from which he had been elected for two consecutive terms.
Contrary to AICC general secretary Luizinho Faleiro’s recent statement that the Congress party would field women candidates ‘more than last time,’ there is only one woman candidate from the party.
The lone woman candidate Tlangthanmawia, is contesting from Aizawl West-II, the same seat that the Congress’ single woman candidate in the 2008 elections had lost.
Veteran Congressman and former Rajya Sabha MP Hiphei reappears in the state politics and is being pitted against Mizoram Democratic Alliance (a combination of three regional parties)’s candidate and sitting legislator P P Thawlla. (UNI)
