Silchar, Oct. 5: Mizoram is in the grip of poll fever already, with yesterday’s announcement that members to the 11th Assembly would be elected on December 4.
All political parties are gearing up for the elections.
The headquarters of the mainstream political parties in the tiny state, located in Treasury Square, Aizawl, are now abuzz with activity of members and supporters of the parties. The Mizoram Presbyterian Synod, however, appears to be unhappy with the poll schedule.
Its delegation today met the state election authorities, urging them to reschedule the date as, according to its secretary M. Mawia, it will clash with its annual conference.
Meanwhile political parties like the Congress, Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC), Zomi Nationalist Party (ZNP) and Mizo National Front (MNF), yesterday highlighted their poll strategies in their manifestos at a meeting in Aizawl. The Mizoram University Students’ Union Discussion Forum arranged the meeting and it was attended by all party spokespersons.
The ZNP vice-president, K. Liantlinga, said his party would go to the electorate with a promise that if elected, it would float an economic package for the downtrodden and the disadvantaged sections in the state.
The ruling Congress, under chief minister Lalthanhawla, will launch its poll campaign in the state soon to highlight the benefits of the Rs 2,700-crore New Land Use Policy (NULP).
According to party spokesman C. Chawnga, who was present at the all-party meet, the policy has already ensured jobs in agriculture, small trade, horticulture and handicrafts sectors.
At the meeting, spokesman for the MPC, B. Thangdailova, agreed not to dump the NULP scheme, but made it clear that if elected, it would overhaul this scheme. This is intended to ensure that it should not only cater to the needs of the party loyalists — which, he alleged, was done during the Congress regime since 2008 — but to all poor families in the state. The Mizoram People’s Forum (MPF) announced that it would arrange a common platform of all political parties so that their leaders can highlight future programmes before the electorate.
