Can Mizoram’s Unique Campaigning Model Be Replicated Elsewhere?

AIZAWL: The fervour of two events driving the country crazy — Sachin Tendulkar's swansong Tests and the upcoming assembly elections — is missing almost entirely in Mizoram. Being in a football-crazy state, it is understandable that most television sets are tuned in to mundane Hindi soaps, films dubbed in the local language and western music videos even as the Maestro turns out at Kolkata's Eden...

Election in the Lord’s Own Country

Aizawl, Nov 8 : 'Thy Kingdom Come.' That's how Mizoram welcomes you. Painted big and bold across a giant Cross a few yards from the runway at state capital Aizwal's Lengpui airport, the message seems ominous as you get familiar with the political nitty-gritty of this Christian-dominated state.Here, the entire election process has a sense of divine edict about it. Not only does the Church have a...

Mizoram Ponzi Victims Pin Hopes On Assembly Polls

By Rahul KarmakarAizawl, Nov 8 : Much before the Saradha storm, Mizoram endured Chiahpuam that hit 10,000 families across the urban landscape. The victims have now regrouped to elect whoever can get their money back.Chiahpuam was a Ponzi scheme that caught the fancy of Mizos a decade ago until the bubble burst in 2008. Hundreds of investors, mostly government servants, found that they had sunk `80-90crore...

Mizoram Starved For Power, Yet Wary of Building Dams

By Adam HallidayAizawl, Nov 8 : One development plan that seems to be moving backwards in poll-bound Mizoram is hydro power."We have said many times we are going to dam all our rivers," Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla had said when this journalist asked AICC general secretary Luizinho Faleiro in September how the party intends to boost the state's debt-ridden economy if it wins again.The state Congress...

Youth Sidelined By Mizoram Parties

By Linda ChhakchhuakAizawl, Nov 8 : Party elders has sidelined youth leadership with geriatric candidates getting preference over the youth. Across party lines, youth leaders, who had been earmarked as candidates, have lost out during last minute string-pulling spilling discontent among the young rank and file of all the major political parties in Mizoram. Eleven candidates in the 2013 fray including...

Mizoram Election Update: Nov 8

Mizo church body imposes tighter poll code in state The Assembly elections in Mizoram are being held under the strict guidelines of the widely-influential Mizoram People’s Forum, an election watchdog controlled by the synod, the largest Church body in Mizoram.The forum has formulated 27 rules for the political parties and candidates. No candidate can organise political meetings without the forum’s...

Mizoram Election Update: Nov 7

Lal Thanhawla to face tough contest in Mizoram Assembly polls Serchhip constituency in Mizoram's central district of Serchhip would be one of the most interesting seats in the coming elections to the 40-member state Assembly to be held on November 25. Four-time Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who would be contesting from the seat, would be facing a tough contest from C Lalramzauva, an advocate and...

Mizoram Creates History By Issuing 100 pc EPIC

By Linda ChhakchhuakAizawl, Nov 7 : Mizoram has created history by being the only State in the country to have completed the process of issuing Election Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) to 100 per cent voters.“Mizoram’s electoral track record is the envy of every other State”, said the Election Commission of India in a poll-preparedness review Press conference here today.The Commission members arrived...