MNF to field K. Vanlalvena in the lone LS seats

Former Chief Minister and opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) President Zoramthanga on Friday announced the name of the lone Rajya Sabha member from Mizoram K. Vanlalvena (54) as the party nominee for the coming election to Mizoram seat of the Lok Sabha at the MNF party office in Aizawl. Zoramthanga analogised Vanlalvena as Chawngbawla, one of the bravest Mizo warriors who fought against the British imperialists, saying that the Rajya Sabha MP is a courageous leader best fit to represent Mizoram in the Parliament. Vanlalvena, while addressing MNF workers after the announcement, said, “We, regional parties, are not going to matter in formation of the government at the centre as it will be a contest between the NDA and the INDIA (earlier known as UPA). The NDA is most likely to retain power and will surely implement Uniform Civil Court (UCC). So, we will have to fight the NDA in the coming Parliament.”

He said that he was one of the MPs who ferociously fought the NDA government in and outside Parliament, though MNF is a constituent of the BJP-led NDA. “It is extremely difficult to speak in the Parliament for an MP who does not hold any posts, but I raised my voice during the current Parliament and made sufficient noises,” he said. “Though being fluent in English and Hindi languages, there were a large number of Rajya Sabha members who speak both languages, but had not uttered any words during three and half years,” he said, adding that other members found it easy to understand what he said in Parliament. “If elected in the Lok Sabha, I will speak in Mizo language in the Parliament,” he vowed and appealed to the electorate of the state to vote for him.

Vanlalvena is a former student leader who had been President of the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), apex Mizo student body. He joined politics in 2002 and was general secretary and president of the MNF youth wing. He first unsuccessfully contested assembly by-election in 2015 against Lal Thanzara (now president of the Mizoram PCC), then Minister and younger brother of Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in July 2020.

He again contested the state assembly polls held on November 7 last from the prestigious Aizawl South-1 constituency and lost to sitting MLA C. Lalsawivunga of the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM).