Mizoram polls: Stakes are high for Lal Thanhawla, one of Congress’s last few CMs

Aizawl, Nov 28: The small northeastern state of Mizoram went to polls on Wednesday, November 28, and of its 40 seats, Serchhip is in the headlines for it features as many as four prominent candidates in the fray.

One of the four contestants from this constituency is the state's 76-year-old chief minister - Lal Thanhawla, who has been winning from this seat since 2003. One of the three remaining chief ministers from the Congress, has also filed his nomination from Champhai South besides Serchhip this time.

Lal Thanhawla's opponents

Among the chief minister's opponents are Kapliana Pachuau, former president of Mizoram Journalists Association who recently joined the National People's Party; Laldhuhoma, Zoram Nationalist Party president and chief ministerla candidate of Zoram People's Movement and Rev Zaichhawna Hlawndo, the president of the newly formed Zoram Thar, which is more of a political group than a party and banking on 'godliness' to win the election.

In 2013, Thanhawla had a win by 734 votes in Serchhip over Mizo National Front's C Lalramzauva. In 2008, he won by 952 votes while in 2003, he won by 927 votes.