AIZAWL: Mizoram chief minister and ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) president Zoramthanga on Friday reiterated that his party will retain power and win more than 25 seats in the upcoming state assembly polls slated for November 7.
Speaking to reporters after he filed nomination for the Aizawl East-I seat, Zoramthanga said that the main opposition party Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) poses a potential threat to the MNF than Congress.
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“We are optimistic that we will retain power and bag more than 25 seats. People have appreciated the works that we have done over the last 5 years despite financial constraints and several hurdles,” the 79-year-old rebel leader turned politician said.
In 2018 assembly polls, Zoramthanga won the Aizawl East-I seat defeating his nearest opponent independent candidate K. Sapdanga, who was backed by ZPM, by a margin of 2,504 votes.
The MNF chief expressed confidence that he would retain his seat and win by a greater margin than the margin he had won in the last assembly polls.
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Rebutting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who accused MNF and ZPM of being instruments for the BJP and RSS to enter Mizoram, Zoramthanga asserted that the MNF has no link with the RSS.
He said that the MNF is linked to the NDA at the Centre because it does not want to work with Congress.
The MNF president further asserted that his party is completely different from the BJP in terms of ideology and the MNF does come under the control of any party.
Rahul Gandhi recently told a press conference in Aizawl that the MNF and ZPM are used by the BJP and RSS to enter Mizoram.
Zoramthanga, who is looking for the fourth term as chief minister, will try his luck again from Aizawl East-I.
He is tipped against ZPM vice president and former legislator Lalthansanga, Congress nominee Lalsanglura Ralte and Lalruatfeli Hlawndo of the Zoramthar group.
In the last assembly polls held in November 2018, the MNF had bagged 26 seats and secured more than 38 per cent of the total votes.
Later, the party won two assembly bypolls raising its tally to 28.
Recently, former assembly speaker Lalrinliana Sailo and former excise minister Dr K Beichhua quit the MNF and joined the BJP.
Elections to the 40-member Mizo assembly will be held in a single phase on November 7 and counting of votes will take place on December 3.
Friday day was the last date for filing nomination papers.
Scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on Saturday and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is October 23.
A total of 116 candidates, including 8 female contestants, have filed their nominations till Thursday, according to election officials.