Aizawl: For the first time in the Lok Sabha elections in Mizoram, a woman, Lalthlamuani, 63, is trying her luck. The fate of all six candidates, including independent aspirant Lalthlamuani, will be decided on April 11. Though women voters outnumber men in the parliamentary constituency, it’s the first time that a woman has joined the race to challenge the hegemony of men to represent the lone Mizoram seat in the Lok Sabha.
Of the 7,84,405 eligible voters, 4,02,408 are women, 3,81,991 men, and six third gender voters. Lalthlamuani, a Jew, has five grandchildren and runs a non-government organisation (NGO) called Chhinlung Israel People Convention (CIPC).
The parliamentary constituency in Mizoram, reserved for ST, is set for multi-cornered contest. According to political analysts, the main contest is between ruling Mizo National Front candidate C Lalrosanga and Lalnghingolva Hmar, jointly fielded by opposition Congress and Zoram People’s Movement’s (ZPM). While Hmar, a young sports journalist, is honorary Secretary of the Mizoram Football Association, Lalrosanga is former Director General of Doordarshan.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded Nirupam Chakma, former Congress minister who joined the BJP few years back. People’s Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram (Prism) — an anti-corruption watchdog turned political party — has nominated T.B.C. Lalvenchhunga.
Lal Hriatrenga Chhangte, another independent, makes it a six-cornered contest. Elections to Mizoram’s lone Lok Sabha seat and by-elections to Aizawl West-1 Assembly seat will be held on April 11. The by-election was necessitated as ZPM legislator Lalduhoma vacated it to retain the Serchhip constituency.
