Aizawl: Two opposition parties in Mizoram — the Congress and Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) — have forged an alliance to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and assembly by-election, sources in the Congress state headquarters said on Tuesday.
Election to Mizoram’s lone Lok Sabha seat as well as by-election to Aizawl West-I seat are due on April 11.
The sources said that the decision was made at the meeting of leaders of both the parties held at Congress Bhavan in Aizawl on Tuesday. “In the interest of sustaining secularism, both the Congress and ZPM have decided to tie up and make popular or common candidates for the upcoming two polls,” a senior ZPM leader told EastMojo.
He said that the ZPM-Congress alliance was formed with a motive to oust the BJP and its ally Mizo National Front (MNF), the ruling party in the state, in the coming Lok Sabha elections and assembly by-polls.
According to the understanding reached at the Tuesday meeting, the Congress will field its candidate in the lone Lok Sabha seat and the ZPM will contest the by-election to Aizawl West-I seat, the leader said, adding that both parties would support each other in both the polls.
He said that both the parties are soon to finalise their respective candidates. He further said that both the parties are looking for a tie-up with other non-BJP, non-MNF parties like People’s Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram (Prism).
At present, both the ZPM and Congress have seven (earlier eight, before ZPM leader Lalduhoma vacated his seat) and five, respectively in the 40-member state assembly.
Party sources said that the sitting Congress MP from Mizoram, CL Ruala (84), would not contest because of old age.
Sources said that Lalnghinglova Hmar, joint editor of the largest circulated local daily Vanglaini and honorary secretary of Mizoram Football Association (MFA), figured among the possible ZPM-Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha seat.
