Congress fields ex-minister John Rotluangliana for Dampa bypoll

Aizawl, Sep 10 (PTI) Mizoram's opposition party Congress on Wednesday fielded its newly appointed vice president and former minister John Rotluangliana for the bypoll to the Dampa assembly seat.

The date of the bypoll is yet to be announced by the Election Commission.

State Congress president Lal Thanzara declared Rotluangliana (67), who formerly served as tourism minister as well as deputy speaker during the Congress regime, as the party candidate for the by-election.

The Dampa assembly seat in west Mizoram's Mamit district fell vacant after the death of incumbent Mizo National Front (MNF) legislator Lalrintluanga Sailo on July 21.

Rotluangliana said that even though by-elections were normally won by the ruling party in the past, this time it would not be so because of the alleged poor governance of the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM).

Rotluangliana will lock horns with ruling ZPM nominee Vanlalsailova and main opposition MNF vice president and former health minister Dr R Lalthangliana in the bypoll.

The BJP, which is also planning to contest the bypoll, is yet to announce the name of its candidate.

Born in March 1958, Rotluangliana joined the Congress in 1983 and served the party in different capacities.

He was elected to the state assembly four times in 1993, 1998, 2008 and 2013.

Rotluangliana contested the assembly polls in 2018 from his home turf Mamit, but lost to MNF nominee H Lalzirliana by a margin of 407 votes. PTI CORR NN