The Congress on Monday released the names of its candidates for all 40 Assembly seats in Mizoram which will go to polls on November 7. The Congress candidates were announced on a day former party chief Rahul Gandhi arrived in Aizawl on a two-day campaign visit.
The party first released a list of 39 candidates and then in the evening it announced the candidature of Meiriam L Hrangchal from Lunglei South (ST) constituency. The names of candidates will, however, be officially announced at a function to be held at the party office here on Tuesday, Congress state media chairman Lalremruata Renthlei said.
The Congress list included the names of four incumbent legislators. Opposition BJP will soon announce the names of its candidates, a BJP leader said. The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) have already announced the list of their candidates and both parties will contest all the 40 seats.
Name of Constituency and Congress Candidates
- HACHHEK-ST – LALRINDIKA RALTE
- DAMPA-ST – LALHMINGTHANGA SAILO
- MAMIT ST – K LALTHANZAMA
- TUIRIAL-ST – Dr HENRY ZODINLIANA PACHUAU
- KOLASIB-ST – S LALRINAWMA
- SERLUI-ST – LALHMACHHUANA
- TUIVAWL-ST – RL PIANMAWIA
- CHALFILH-ST – VANNEIHTHANGA
- TAWI-ST – LALRINGLIANA KHIANGTE
- AIZAWL NORTH- I –ST – LALNUNMAWIA CHUAUNGO
- AIZAWL NORTH-II – ST – R LALRINMAWIA
- AIZAWL NORTH-III- ST – LAL THANZARA
- AIZAWL EAST-I – LALSANGLURA RALTE
- AIZAWL EAST-II –ST – PC LALHMINGTHANGA
- AIZAWL WEST-I- ST – R LALBIAKTHANGA
- AIZAWL WEST-II-ST – Dr NGURDINGLIANA
- AIZAWL WEST- III –ST – LALSAWTA
- AIZAWL SOUTH-I-ST – VANLALAWMPUII CHAWNGTHU
- AIZAWL SOUTH-II – ST – Dr LALMALSAWMA NGHAKA
- AIZAWL SOUTH-III-ST – ROSIAMNGHETA
- LENGTENG-ST – LALHMINGTHANGA PACHUAU
- TUICHANG-ST – C LALHRIATPUIA
- CHAMPHAI NORTH-ST – K LALNUNMAWIA
- CHAMPHAI SOUTH-ST – Dr LALLIANCHHUNGA
- EAST TUIPUI-ST – C LALNUNTHANGA
- SERCHHIP-ST – R VANLALTLUANGA
- TUIKUM-ST – TT ZOTHANSANGA
- HRANGTURZO-ST – F LALROENGA
- SOUTH TUIPUI-ST – C LALDINTLUANGA
- LUNGLEI NORTH-ST – ERIC R ZOMUANPUIA
- LUNGLEI EAST-ST – JOSEPH LALHIMPUIA
- LUNGLEI WEST – PC LALTHANLIANA
- THORANG-ST – ZODINTLUANGA RALTE
- WEST TUIPUI-ST – NIHAR KANTI CHAKMA
- TUICHAWNG-ST – HARA PRASAD CHAKMA
- LAWNGTLAI WEST-ST – C NGUNLIANCHUNGA
- LAWNGTLAI EAST-ST – H ZOTHANGLIANA
- SAIHA-ST – N CHAKHAI
- PALAK-ST – LP JUNIOR
- LUNGLEI SOUTH-ST — MEIRIAM L HRANGCHAL
The Congress declared Lalsanglura Ralte, a first timer, as its candidate against Chief Minister Zoramthanga in Aizawl East-I seat. Zoramthanga had won the seat in 2018 too. Mizoram PCC chief Lalsawta will be the candidate from Aizawl West-III seat and senior party vice-president Lal Thanzara from Aizawl North-III. Lalsawta has been pitted against ZPM candidate V L Zaithanzama and MNF nominee K Sawmvela.
Congress state vice-president Lalnunmawia Chuaungo has been pitched in Aizawl North-I, party treasurer Lalmalsawma Nghaka from Aizawl South-II seat. Congress Legislature Party leader Zodintluanga Ralte will contest from his home turf Thorang and sitting MLA Lalrindika Ralte from Hachhek is pitted against Sports Minister Robert Romawia Royte from MNF. The counting of votes will take place on December 3.
2018 Elections
The ruling MNF is vying for a second straight term in the 2023 assembly polls. In all, it has ruled for three terms since Mizoram became a state in 1987 after the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi signed the Mizo peace accord, while the Congress has had four terms in power.
In the 2018 assembly election, the MNF had secured 26 seats, the Congress managed five seats, the BJP won one seat, while the ZPM clinched eight seats.