Mizoram Congress President Highlights Restored Peace in Sinlung Hills Council Ahead of Elections
Lal Thanzara, the Mizoram Congress unit president, announced on Tuesday that peace has been restored in the Hmar-dominated Sinlung Hills Council (SHC) due to Congress-led initiatives following years of insurgency. He made the announcement during a function at Congress Bhavan in Aizawl, where he also revealed the names of 12 Congress candidates for the upcoming SHC elections scheduled for November 5, 2024.
Thanzara emphasized the role the Congress party played in restoring peace in the region, which had been marred by insurgency and unrest. “The Congress has always been committed to peace, and the creation of the Sinlung Hills Council is a result of the peace initiative undertaken by the party,” he stated. Thanzara attributed the restored peace to the 2018 peace accord signed between the Mizoram government and the Hmar militants, led by the Congress government at the time.
The SHC region, which had been a troubled area due to misunderstandings among Mizo communities, has now stabilized. The Congress party, Thanzara claimed, was instrumental in initiating talks with Hmar militants, leading to the peace agreement that allowed for the establishment of the council.
The upcoming SHC elections will see 23,789 eligible voters, including 11,914 women, cast their votes across 12 constituencies that comprise 31 villages in northeastern Mizoram. This region covers three assembly constituencies in Aizawl, Kolasib, and Saitual districts.
The last date for filing nomination papers is October 10, with scrutiny scheduled for October 11. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until October 14. Counting of votes will take place immediately after the polling on November 5, once the ballot boxes reach the respective constituency headquarters.
The SHC, established on July 9, 2018, was born out of the peace accord signed on April 2, 2018, between the Mizoram government and the Hmar People’s Convention (Democratic) or HPC(D), putting an end to the insurgency in the region.
In the last SHC elections held in 2019, the Mizo National Front (MNF)-HPC coalition won 10 out of the 12 seats, with the remaining two going to independent candidates. However, the political landscape in the council has seen frequent changes, and currently, the ZPM-HPC alliance is in power.
The upcoming elections are expected to be closely watched as the Congress aims to regain control in this politically significant area.
