EC gives BJP, Cong one week’s time to respond to poll code violations
The poll panel on Saturday wrote to BJP president J P Nadda and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge seeking their comments over the matter by 1 pm on Monday.
The Congress on Monday released a list of 39 candidates for the forthcoming assembly elections in Mizoram with party unit chief Lalsawta being fielded from Aizawl West- III constituency.
The Congress is hopeful of ousting the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) in the north eastern state.
The list comes on a day Rahul Gandhi kicked off the party’s poll campaign in Mizoram. He also held a padyatra in the state capital Aizawl on Monday.
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Among the prominent candidates are Lalsawta and MLAs Lalrindika Ralte and Zodintluanga Ralte. The party has fielded the state Congress chief from Aizawl West- III assembly constituency, while Lalrindika will fight from Hachhek and Zodintluanga from Thorang seat, a statement issued by Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said.
The party has also fielded MLA Nihar Kanti Chakma from the West Tuipui assembly seat.
However, the name of former chief minister Lal Thanhawla was not in the list. In the 2018 assembly election, the Congress veteran lost from his home turf Serchhip, and Champhai South.
In August, the former chief minister was appointed as a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s highest decision making body.
Election to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly will be held in a single phase on November 7. Counting of votes will take place on December 3.
The upcoming state poll will likely witness an engaging contest between the ruling MNF, Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), Congress, and the BJP.
Notably, 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.
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