Northeast Desk, 11th October: The Mizo National Front (MNF) has declined to issue a ticket to assembly speaker Lalrinliana Sailo, who is now poised to join the BJP, as per a BJP spokesperson’s statement on Wednesday. This development deals another setback to the ruling MNF ahead of the upcoming Mizoram assembly elections on November 7.
Johny Lalthanpuia, the media convener for the Mizoram BJP, has confirmed that Sailo will officially join the Mizoram BJP on Thursday. He is expected to be the BJP’s candidate in the upcoming assembly elections, though the party’s top leadership is yet to determine the specific constituency he will represent.
In accordance with Assembly regulations, Sailo is set to resign as a legislator on Wednesday, clearing the way for his candidacy on the BJP ticket. Notably, he would become the eighth Mizoram MP to step down in anticipation of the forthcoming assembly elections.
Sailo had previously been elected to the Chalfilh assembly seat under the MNF banner in 2018. It is speculated that the MNF denied him a ticket due to his comments regarding the MNF-NDA partnership.