Aizawl:

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga on Monday said he will not share the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he comes here to campaign for the ensuing assembly elections.

PM Modi is likely to visit Mamit town in the western part of the state on October 30, and campaign for the BJP candidates.

“The people of Mizoram are all Christians. When the people of Manipur (Meities) burned hundreds of churches in Manipur, they were (Mizos) totally against that kind of idea. To have sympathy with the BJP at this time will be a big minus point for my party,” Zoramthanga told BBC News in an interview.

“It will be better if the prime minister comes alone and he shares the platform by himself, and I take the stage separately by myself,” he said.

Zoramthanga’s MNF is a part of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) and an ally of the NDA at the Centre. However, the party does not work with the BJP in Mizoram.

The chief minister said that the MNF joined the NDA and NEDA as it is totally against the Congress, and does not want to be part of any alliance led by it.

On giving shelter to people from Myanmar, Bangladesh and Manipur, Mr Zoramthanga said that the Mizoram government was following the footsteps of the Centre.

“The Indian government helped the refugees from the erstwhile East Pakistan and even armed them to attain independence. We don’t arm the refugees from Myanmar but we simply provide them food and shelter on humanitarian grounds,” he said.

More than 40,000 people from Myanmar, Bangladesh and Manipur are taking shelter in the state.

Mr Zoramthanga said that it was the responsibility of the Centre to restore peace in Manipur so that people can go back to their native state.

Mizoram will vote for its 40-member assembly on November 7, and the votes will be counted on December 3.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar interacting with media at the Press Conference organised by the Election Commission of India for the General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Mizoram.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Nomination papers of 173 candidates out of 174 filed for the November 7 Mizoram Assembly elections were found valid during scrutiny, officials said on Sunday.

The nomination paper of opposition party Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) nominee Dr. Lorrain Lalpekliana Chinzah who seeks to contest from the Lawngtlai East constituency is being re-scrutinised because of some discrepancies, they said.

Altogether 174 candidates filed nominations for 40 assembly constituencies and the documents were scrutinised on Saturday.

The last date for withdrawal of candidature is October 23.

The number of candidates who filed nomination papers this year is 38 less than that in the 2018 assembly polls.

Five years ago, 212 candidates filed their nominations, of whom 209 were in the fray after the withdrawal of candidature.

The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), main opposition ZPM and the Congress have fielded candidates in all 40 seats each and all of them have submitted their nomination papers.

The BJP has fielded its nominees in 23 seats, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in four.

Besides, 27 candidates are contesting as independents.

Aizawl:

The Congress on Tuesday released its manifesto for the upcoming assembly elections in Mizoram, making a slew of promises, including the reintroduction of the old pension scheme, LPG cylinders at Rs 750 for poor households and a health insurance cover of Rs 15 lakh per family for cashless treatment at hospitals.

The Congress also named Meriam L Hrangchal as its candidate in the Lunglei South seat, defying the diktat of a students’ organisation that Mizo women who marry non-Mizos should not be given tickets by any political party.

Promising to establish an efficient, transparent and corruption-free government, the Congress in its 12-page manifesto said it would strengthen grassroots democracy by giving more power, responsibilities and financial resources to the village councils and local bodies, if voted to power.

The Congress will set up better and durable public infrastructure assets such as roads, airports, power lines to promote all-round economic development of Mizoram, it said.

To enable farmers and entrepreneurs develop sustainable economic and livelihood activities, and prosper, the Congress announced the ‘Tang Puihna’ scheme, under which monetary assistance of Rs 2 lakh would be provided.

If voted to power, the Congress said that its government will provide health insurance cover of Rs 15 lakhs to each family for cashless treatment in hospitals, given that they do not have a member who is a regular government employee.

It also promised to make a budgetary provision of Rs 5 crore every year, for providing assistance to patients undergoing treatment for cancer and other serious ailments.

The party, which ruled the state from 2008 to 2018 and before that, from 1989 to 1998, said it would establish a ‘young Mizo entrepreneurs programme’ with startup funding provisions, and target creating 1 lakh jobs for the state’s youths.

Among other promises it made were an old-age pension of Rs 2,000 per month, and LPG cylinders at Rs 750 for Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Priority Household, besides those Below Poverty Line and families headed by women.

The manifesto was released by state Congress vice-president Lal Thanzara. He also announced that Hrangchal will be the party candidate in the Lunglei South seat, defying the diktat of the influential students’ organisation Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP).

The Congress had on Monday announced its candidates for 39 of the 40 seats, leaving the Lunglei South seat The MZP had appealed to all political parties not to nominate any Mizo woman who got married to a non-Mizo person, maintaining that it would ensure that such a candidate is not elected.

Polling for the assembly elections will be held on November 7, and the counting of votes will take place on December 3.

The ruling MNF and main opposition ZPM have already announced the names of their candidates for all 40 constituencies.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)