Mizoram opposition parties pre-poll alliance move hits roadblock

Aizawl: The ongoing negotiation between opposition parties Mizo National Front (MNF) and Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC) to forge a pre-poll alliance appeared to have reached a stalemate, but despite that, both sides expressed interest to resume the talks. Elections for the 40-member Mizoram Legislative Assembly would be held 25 November. The talks reached a deadlock on Sunday after MPC chief Lalhmangaiha Sailo, now in Delhi, told other leaders of the party to stop deliberations with the MNF, a source in the MNF said. “Earlier on 16 October, we had agreed that MNF would contest from 32 seats and the MPC from eight,” he said, adding the talks broke down during negotiation on selecting constituencies. The source did not rule out the possibility of Sailo holding talks with chief minister and state Congress president Lal Thanhawla in Delhi. MNF adviser R Khawpuithanga admitted that problems cropped up in the MNF-MPC negotiations but said the attempt at forging an alliance has not ended. MPC treasurer Lalthansanga also said though there were some hurdles, it should be the endeavour of both parties to overcome such impediments. The MPC, earlier led by former chief minister Brig Thenphunga Sailo and now by his son Lalhmangaiha Sailo, had forged pre-poll alliance with both the Congress and the MNF. In 1993, the MPC, then known as Mizoram Janata Dal (MJD) formed alliance with Congress and the Congress bagged 17 seats and the MJD seven. They formed a coalition government which did not last long. MJD was later rechristened as MPC and it forged an alliance with the MNF in 1998 when the MNF bagged 22 seats and the MPC 11. PTI