Aizawl: Ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) on Wednesday launched a campaign for the upcoming Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) polls at Chawngte in south Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district, party sources said.
Polling for the 20-member council will be held on May 9 and counting of votes will take place on May 11.
The campaign kick-off function was attended by district council and minority affairs minister and MNF adviser Robert Romawia Royte, the sources said.
Speaking on the occasion, Royte laid emphasis on the need for a triple engine to usher in development in the Chakma area.
He said that MNF is part of the NDA government at the Centre and also is currently in power in the state. The party must also be in power in the CADC to usher in all-round development, he said.
“MNF is part of the NDA government at the Centre and also is the ruling party in state. If the party win the CADC polls, the development will go at a faster pace through the collective efforts of these three engines,” Royte said while launching the campaign at the party office in Chawngte.
The minister said that artificial turfs are being laid and other sports infrastructures are being implemented in the Chakma area.
He said that sanctions have been approved for the construction of several highways within the Chakma area. Meanwhile, 74 out of 76 candidates, who filed nominations for the council polls, have cleared scrutiny, an official said.
Lawngtlai deputy commissioner and district election officer David Lalthantluanga said that the nomination papers of all candidates, except two substitutes fielded by Congress, were accepted by the election department after scrutiny on Tuesday.
The MNF, BJP and Congress have fielded 20 seats each, while the ZPM fielded 13 seats, he said.
One independent candidate has also cleared the scrutiny, he said. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is on Thursday, he added.
A total of 35,885 electorates, including 17,677 female voters will exercise their franchise in the polls.
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The CADC was created under the sixth schedule of the constitution in 1972 for the welfare of the Chakma tribal people in Mizoram.
The council has 24 seats, of which 4 are nominated seats. The council has been under the governor’s rule since December last year.
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