Congress announces candidates list for Mizoram assembly elections

File photo of Lal Thanhawla.

New Delhi: Looking to retain power in Mizoram, Congress on Monday took out its candidates list for upcoming assembly elections in the state. Incumbent CM Lal Thanhawla will contest from the Champai South -ST constituency.

The list comes just two days after Congress MLA  Hmingdailova Khiangte resigned from the membership of the Mizoram house. He was the fourth to do so ahead of November 28 elections in the state.

Despite these setbacks, Thanhawla is eying a hat-trick in office having won two consecutive terms as CM already - back in 2008 and in 2013. He was also the CM for almost a decade between 1989 and 1998 before losing power to Zoramthanga who was the CM between 1998 and 2008.

Thanhawla has maintained a confident face in the run-up to the elections and has said every effort to balkanise Mizo people should be resisted. Political analysts feel that the Congress party may have to battle anti-incumbency - a fact that rival parties like Mizo National Front and BJP would look to capitalise on.  While MNF declared it would contest in all 40 seats, BJP has said it would contest in 13 seats.