Aizawl, Oct 11: After Election Commission of India(ECI) announced Mizoram assembly polls date, the major political parties geared up for the upcoming polls and started their campaigns.

Aizawl East-I seat is very important because chief minister Zoramthanga is contesting from Aizawl East-I seat. Earlier, Aizawl East-I used to be a Congress bastion, but this time the constituency is expecting a tough fight between the MNF and the Congress.

In the 2013 elections, Congress’s R. Lalrinawma emerged victorious against Lalhmangaiha Sailo of the Mizoram People’s Conference.

Lalrinawma had bagged the seat in 2008, too, winning against F. Malsawma of the MNF.

Zoramthanga is a president of MNF and he is contesting from the Aizawl East-I and it has been seen that he is a strong contender of the seat and expected to give a tough fight to Congress candidate.

Serchhip is one of the most talked-about constituencies in the upcoming assembly polls because the ZPM leader and its chief ministerial candidate, Lalduhoma, who is the incumbent legislator, are expected to contest against MNF debutant J Malsawmzual Vanchhawng.

Lalduhoma won the Serchhip seat in the last assembly polls held in November 2028, ousting incumbent legislators and five-time chief minister Lal Thanhawla.

The Congress is also fielding R. Vanlaltluanga, who originally hails from Thenzawl within the Serchhip constituency. Vanlaltluanga had unsuccessfully contested the assembly polls in 2013 on a Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) ticket.

Except the period 1998-2003 and 2018-2023, the Congress has won Serchhip after Mizoram attained statehood.

Hachhek is one of the key constituency in West Mizoram. The constituency has been a Congress stronghold and the party has been in dominance since the last three assembly elections — 2008, 2013 and 2018.

The main opposition ZPM is fielding K J Lalbiakngheta, a first-timer. However, Lalbiakngheta is expected to give stiff competition to rivals, as he hailed from Zawlnuam, the biggest village in Hachhek constituency.

Hacchek in west Mizoram’s Mamit district bordering Tripura, where incumbent and Congress stalwart legislator

will lock horns with sports minister Robert Romawia Royte, who shifted his constituency from Aizawl East-II.

In the 2018 polls, Ralte secured 33.32 percent of the vote, defeating his nearest opponent, Lalrinenga Sailo of the MNF, by a margin of 366 votes. Royte is believed to be one of the best ministers in the current Zoramthanga ministry.

On the other hand, Aizawl West-III is expected to see a triangular fight among MNF, ZPM, and Congress.

Incumbent ZPM legislator V. L. Zaithanzama will lock horns with former finance minister and present Congress president Lalsawta and MNF nominee K. Sawmvela.

It will be a litmus test for Lalsawta, under whose leadership the Congress has been trying to usher in reforms.

Since its creation in 2008, the seat has not seen any candidate from the same party win a second consecutive term. In 2008, Congress won the seat, but in 2013, Vanlalzawma was defeated by V. L. Zaithanzama.

The MNF, led by Zoramthanga since last month, has started an election campaign, and the party has already announced candidates for all 40 seats, with the 79-year-old political leader (Zoramthanga) seeking re-election from his existing constituency, Aizawl East-I, for the record seventh time.

In 2018, assembly polls, the MNF bagged a total of 26 seats in the 40-seat assembly house. Eight seats went to independent candidates, while the Congress party could manage to win only five seats.

The last date for the withdrawal of candidates is October 23, and the deadline for the scrutiny of nominations is October 21.

Mizoram has 8.51 lakh voters. Ruling MNF and BJP to contest separately in the upcoming assembly polls.

Read: NIA says three Kuki militant groups and 1 Zomi militant group behind Manipur violence

WATCH:

Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.

Also, Follow us on-

Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub

Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020

Instagram- www.instagram.com/nemediahub