Mizoram: 8,491 candidates in fray for rural and local polls

Aizawl: As many as 8,491 candidates, including 2,102 women, are in the fray for the upcoming local councils and village council polls, an election official said on Saturday.

Polling for 558 village councils in nine districts and 83 local councils within Aizawl municipal area will be held on August 27. There are 2,454 seats in village councils, of which 630 are reserved for women while the total number of seats in local councils is 545, including 148 seats reserved for women.

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State election commission secretary Teresy Vanlalhruaii said that at least 6,926 candidates, including 1,685 women are in the fray for village councils polls while a total of 1,565 candidates, including 415 women (for reserved seats) are up for the local council polls. She said that the final figure of contesting candidates could not be announced in time. Though the last date for withdrawal of candidature ended on Thursday due to poor internet connectivity and communication.

She said that at least 159 candidates (155 for village council, four for a local council) withdrew their nomination papers on the last date of withdrawal on Thursday.

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According to the official, the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) has fielded 2,438 candidates for the 558 village councils while the main opposition Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) fielded 1,197 candidates.

Congress has fielded 2,075 candidates, BJP- 298, Hmar People’s Convention (HPC) – 6, Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC) and National People’s Party (NPP) have fielded 2 candidates each, she said.

There are 908 independent candidates for the upcoming rural polls, she said.

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As for local council polls, Vanlalhruaii said MNF has the highest number of candidates at 540, followed by Congress at 533.

ZPM has fielded 432, MPC – 5 and there are 55 independent candidates up for the coming local body polls, she said.

BJP and HPC have not fielded any candidate in the local council polls.

Among the five regional parties in the state, only People’s Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram (PRISM) did not contest both the polls.

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Counting for the rural and local body polls will be undertaken on August 27 as soon as polling is over. Meanwhile, the MNF has won 10 village councils unopposed while Congress bagged two villages councils unopposed, the election department said. The MNF and Congress also won one reserved seat for women unopposed in Vangchhia village in Champhai district and Tualte village in Khawzawl district respectively, it said.