NCP unveils names of candidates for November 28 elections

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday announced the names of five candidates for the November 28 election to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly. 

NCP state unit president Lalawmpuia Chhangte said he would contest two assembly seats - Mamit and Dampa - along Mizoram-Tripura-Bangladesh border. 

C Ramkinlova, a Presbyterian church member, has been nominated from Hachhek constituency by the party, while Lalrinpuii, the lone woman nominee of the NCP, would contest from Aizawl East-I, he said. Lalhruaia, a first-timer, has been fielded from Aizawl West - I seat. 

Chhangte expressed hope that they would be able to bag Mamit and Hachhek seats, where the party had secured over 2,000 votes each in 2013 assembly polls. 

The NCP, which also has a presence in Chakma-dominated Tuichawng and West Tuipui assembly segments, has decided not to field candidates from the two seats this time, keeping with the NGO Coordination Committee's appeal. 

The committee, an umbrella body of major civil societies and student organizations, had requested all political parties, earlier this year, to refrain from fielding any Chakma community candidate for the polls as they are "not natives or sons of the soil". 

Chakmas are "illegal" immigrants from Bangladesh, they should not be given "indigenous" status in Mizoram, Lal Sangzuala, a leader of the committee, had said.

(With inputs from agencies.)