Aizawl, Oct 15: Two political parties in Mizorazm-- the Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) and the Zoram Nationals Party (ZNP) -have decided to forge a pre-poll alliance for the elections to the 40-member state assembly, scheduled for November 20. The MPC said today all the 11 'common constituencies' in Aizawl district would go to the ZNP while the MPC would contest nine common constituencies in Lunglei district.

Besides, 20 constituencies within the undivided Aizawl district and two constituencies from Lunglei district would be declared as 'common zones' where the two parties would put up common candidates. Eight constituencies in undivided Aizawl district and five constituencies in Lunglei district would be declared as 'free zones' where the two parties would put up their won party candidates for 'friendly contest' the press release said.
B Decision on the remaining five constituencies from the undivided Chhimtuipui district would be made soon, the press release said. With the two major parties -- the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and the Congress -- going alone, the coming Mizoram Assembly polls would now be mainly a triangular contest in almost all the constituencies.

The MPC, originally formed in 1976 by Brig. Thenphunga Sailo, who became the state chief minister in 1977 is now having 12 legislators in the present assembly as the party fought the 1998 assembly polls by forging pre-poll alliance with the MNF.

The ZNP, formed by former Lok Sabha member Lalduhawma in 1997 as a breakaway MNF group is not having even a single legislator in the state assembly. Bureau Report