174 including 18 women candidates file nomination for Mizoram polls

Speaking to media persons after filing the nomination CM and ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) president Zoramthanga expressed confidence that his party will retain power and win more than 25 seats in the 40-member assembly in the upcoming elections

The filing of nominations for single-phase assembly elections in Mizoram ended on Friday with a total of 174 candidates, including 18 woman candidates, filing their nominations.

Mizoram chief minister and and Mizo National Front chief Zoramthanga filed his nomination on Friday (File Photo)

Chief minister Zoramthanga filed his nomination from Aizawl East I on Friday, the last day for filing nominations.

Speaking to media persons after filing the nomination CM and ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) president Zoramthanga expressed confidence that his party will retain power and win more than 25 seats in the 40-member assembly in the upcoming elections.

“Though I will have to work hard, I am confident that I will win with more votes from my constituency, and that the Mizo National Front will win the state’s assembly election for the next term,” Zoramthanga said.

“Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) will be a tougher opponent than Congress, I am confident that the voters are satisfied with MNF, and in this year’s election, the party will win over 25 seats,” he added.

Responding to Rahul Gandhi’s statement that the MNF and the ZPM are tools for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to make an inroad into Mizoram, Zoramthanga said, “The MNF does not have any ties or agreement with RSS. We are part of the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) and the NEDA (North-East Democratic Alliance) at the Centre as we do not want to be part of the Congress party. This does not imply that we are under the control of any party. The BJP has a totally different political ideology from that of MNF.”

In the last assembly polls held in November 2018, the MNF had bagged 26 seats and secured 37.69 per cent of the total polled votes. Later, the party won two assembly by-elections, increasing its tally to 28.

Mizoram will go to polls on November 7 to elect 40 members of the Mizoram Legislative Assembly