Rajya Sabha Election: The MNF fielded former party youth wing president K Vanlalvena (file)

Aizawl:

Candidates of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), opposition parties Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) and Congress filed nominations for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Mizoram on Tuesday.

Election to the seat in Mizoram will be held simultaneously with other states on June 19 and Tuesday was the last date for filing nomination papers.

The MNF fielded former party youth wing president K Vanlalvena, while the main opposition, ZPM, nominated its general secretary (frontal in-charge) B Lalchhanzova.

The Congress named its spokesperson and media department chairman Lallianchhunga as the candidate.

Speaking to reporters after filing the nomination paper, K Vanlalvena said he never expected to be the party nominee for the Rajya Sabha seat because there are many good leaders who deserve it more than him.

“I am fortunate to have been selected as the party nominee. I am highly indebted to party president and Chief Minister Zoramthanga and party leaders for choosing me,” he said.

The MNF leader said he will do his best for the state if elected to the Upper House of Parliament.

B Lalchhanzova said his party fielded a candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat as a mark of respect to and in solidarity with the people, who elected seven ZPM members to the 40-member Assembly in the last state polls held in November, 2018.

Formerly an electoral alliance of several outfits, the ZPM merged into a single political party and got registered with the Election Commission in 2019.

Lallianchhunga said the Congress, being a national party, never thought of skipping the Rajya Sabha polls though it is certain that the ruling party will win the election.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)