The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday announced to contest the upcoming Mizoram Assembly election, days after the Election Commission announced the poll schedule for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led party, which is trying to make inroads into the northeastern state, also said that its efforts are on to contest in 11 assembly seats, adding that the list of candidates will be released soon.
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“We will contest in the upcoming Mizoram Assembly election. Regarding the number of seats we will contest, the party’s state committee has been asked to give all the details,” AAP’s
northeast-in-charge Rajesh Sharma said at a press conference at the party headquarters here.
“We will field candidates in few selective seats where there is party’s presence. Our effort is to contest in 11 seats in and around the capital city of Aizawl. The party will release the list in next two days,” he said.
Sharma also informed that the decision to contest the upcoming poll was taken as the AAP’s Mizoram unit has been pitching for the same, and added that the party’s state committees from other northeastern states have committed to support the unit.
Taking a swipe at the BJP over the Manipur situation, the AAP leader accused the saffron party of doing “divisive” politics.
Ethnic clashes erupted in Manipur on May 3. Hundreds of people have lost their lives, and thousands were forced to take refuge in relief camps.
Election to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly will be held on November 7 and counting of votes will take place on December 3.
The upcoming polls are likely to witness a contest between the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), Congress, and the BJP.
MNF is a constituent of the BJP-led North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).
In the 2018 assembly election, the MNF won 26 seats, ZPM eight, Congress five and BJP one seat.