Lalthanhawla to face tough contest in upcoming Assembly polls

Aizawl: The race to Serchhip constituency in central Mizoram would be keenly watched as four-time Chief Minister PU Lalthanhawla, contesting from the seat, would face tough competition from C Lalramzauva, an advocate and nominee of Opposition Mizoram Democratic Alliance (MDA). Lathanhawla had contested and won six times from this seat and lost only once in 1998 to a retired engineer K Thangzuala of the Mizo National Front (MNF).[caption id=“attachment_1214105” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Time to vote again. AFP[/caption] This time, MDA, the three-party alliance of the MNF, Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC) and the Maraland Democratic Front (MDF) is trying to repeat the 1998 debacle of the chief minister. In 2008, Lalramzauva, who contested the polls from Serchhip constituency on a Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) ticket, lost to Lalthanhawla by a margin of 952 votes and by a margin of 1,399 votes in 2003. The chief minister would also contest from Hrangturzo constituency in Sechhip district, which was being occupied by Lalthansanga of the MPC, now a common candidate of the MDA. Another seat to watch out for would be the East Tuipui in Mizoram-Myanmar border Champhai district where former chief minister Zoramthanga of the opposition MNF was pitted against a retired senior bureaucrat T Sangkunga of the Congress. Till recently, Sangkunga was the president of the powerful central committee of the Young Mizo Association (YMA), the apex Mizo body. Zoramthanga, the two-time chief minister and former underground leader, had contested and won from this seat in 1998 and vacated the seat in favour of his close aide K Vanlalauva as he also won from Champhai seat, his home turf. A stiff battle is expected in Kolasib seat along the Assam border where the Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) chief Lalduhawma is pitted against state Transport Minister and Congress nominee PC Zoram Sangliana and former Speaker Lalchamliana of the MDA. Lalduhawma would contest from two constituencies and would face opposition in his home turf, Aizawl West-I seat from TBC Tlangthanmawii, president of the state Mahila Congress and former minister K Sangthuama of the MNF. Tlangthanmawii was the only woman candidate of the ruling Congress while Lalmalsawmi of the MNF, contesting from the Tawi seat in Aizawl district against state home minister R Lalzirliana, was the only woman candidate of the MNF. The ZNP does not have any woman candidate. Lalhmangaiha Sailo, president of the MPC (constituent of the MDA) would contest from Aizawl East I where he would be facing opposition from the sitting MLA R Lalrinawma of the Congress and Zarzoliana of the ZNP. Parliamentary secretary to the chief minister, Lalthanzara, younger brother of Lal Thanhawla would be contesting from Aizawl North III from where he won with a thumping majority and would be pitted against former legislator Lalchhandama Ralte of the MDA (MNF). Lalhmingliana, the lone Rajya Sabha member would be contesting from Serlui seat in Kolasib district against sitting legislator K Lalrinthanga of the Congress and former Speaker of the state Assembly R Lalawia of the ZNP. Another interesting contest on the cards would be from Tuichang seat in Champhai district where sitting legislator and state health minister Lalrinliana Sailo would be contesting against former Lok Sabha member Dr H Lallungmuana of the MDA (MNF). PTI