Six candidates in fray for lone Lok Sabha seat in Mizoram

Battle lines are now drawn to fight for the election to the lone Mizoram Lok Sabha seat as major political parties in the state kicking off election campaigns for their respective candidates for the polling to be held on April 19 during the first phase of Parliamentary general elections. The ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), while nominating Robert Vanlalhmangaiha, an obscure persona in politics, is hopeful of a windfall win in view of the party continuing to ride on popularity and honeymoon with the electorate after winning the last state assembly polls held on November 7 last with a thumping majority. ZPM is also feeling secure as only 2 candidates fielded by opposition parties had won in the state Lok Sabha seat since 1971 and the rest belonged to the ruling parties even if all the opposition parties rallied against the parties in power.

Vanlalhmangaiha, who filed his nomination on Friday is the only candidate who had filed nomination and has launched his election campaign already gaining time as against his opponents. Opposition Mizo National Front (MNF), bugged by anti-incumbency wave in the last assembly polls, has no choice but to choose the lone Rajya Sabha member from the state K. Vanlalvena as its nominee for the coming Lok Sabha election. The MNF is hoping to take advantage of Vanlalvena’s popularity among the people, especially the young voters for his three and half year performance in the Rajya Sabha. Vanlalvena has been lauded for his strong support of the ethnic Mizos in the strife-torn neighbouring Manipur despite the BJP-led NDA government’s refusal to speak in the Parliament. His strong opposition to the legislation and implementation of Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Forest Conservation amendment bill, scrapping of Free Movement Regime (FMR) and proposed fencing of Indo-Myanmar border earned him high respect at home.

He has fought tooth and nail in and outside the Parliament even as the MNF is a constituent of the NDA. His candidature seems to show that it may not be a cakewalk for the ruling ZPM when the state electorate votes on April 19. Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) is also hopeful that its nominee Lalbiakzama, a former Police officer who retired as the state home secretary is a person to reckon with. The grand old party is banking on Lalbiakzama’s contribution in successful releases of a number of people abducted by Bru militant groups, making peace with Hmar rebels and tackling of the Mizoram-Assam border dispute while being a senior top cop and home department official.

The Congress party is also making concerted efforts to display its secular card not only against the BJP, which is not very popular except in minority-dominated areas, but also by accusing both the ZPM and the MNF being hand-in-glove with the saffron party. The electoral battle in the Christian-dominated hilly northeastern state will be a multi-cornered contest with small party like the People’s Conference also being in the fray and will be interesting in the political history. EOM