AIZAWL, Oct 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to
visit Mizoram’s Mamit town on October 30 to campaign for
BJP candidates for the upcoming assembly polls in the state,
a party leader said here on Saturday.
BJP president J P Nadda, defence minister Rajnath Singh and
Union minister Nitin Gadkari will also join the campaign trail
for the November 7 polls in the state, he said.
“PM Modi is likely to visit Mamit town on October 30 and
campaign for party candidates,” BJP’s Mizoram unit president
Vanlalhmuaka told PTI.
Union minister Nityanand Rai and Assam chief minister
Himanta Biswa Sarma will also campaign for party
candidates, he said.
Rai will campaign in Silsury and Sarma will visit Mamit and
Hachhek, he said, adding that the dates are being finalised.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who has been appointed as BJP’s
election in-charge for Mizoram, is currently camping in the
state.
The BJP has fielded candidates in 23 seats with a special
focus on linguistic minority areas, especially where the Bru
and Chakma people live.
The party is contesting in two seats, out of 11 assembly
constituencies within the Aizawl Municipal Corporation
(AMC) area where there is a large presence of Mizos.
The BJP has released a list of 40-star campaigners for the
Mizoram assembly polls.
Vanlalhmuaka, however, said that the visit of Union Home
Minister Amit Shah is still uncertain.
Elections to the 40-member Mizoram assembly will be held in
a single phase on November 7 and counting of votes will take
place on December 3.
Altogether, 174 candidates, including 40 each from the ruling
Mizo National Front (MNF), the main opposition Zoram
People’s Movement (ZPM) and the Congress, have filed
nominations.
Scrutiny of nomination papers will be undertaken during the
day and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is
October 23. (PTI)
