Rahul in Mizoram on two-day visit to campaign for Congress candidates

Aizawl, Oct 16 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived in Aizawl on Monday on a two-day visit to poll-bound Mizoram to campaign for party candidates for the November 7 assembly elections in the northeastern state, party officials said.

Gandhi arrived in Aizawl aboard a helicopter from Tripura's capital Agartala, Mizoram Congress media cell chairman Lalremruata Renthlei said.

He will undertake a padayatra (march) from Chanmari junction to Raj Bhavan, a distance of around 4-5 km, and address a rally near the governor's house, he said.

Gandhi will also interact with students in the evening.

On Tuesday (October 17), he will meet party leaders and address a press conference in Aizawl, Renthlei said.

He will also visit Lunglei town in the southern part of the state and hold a public meeting there.

Gandhi will leave for Delhi via Agartala by a chopper from Lunglei on Tuesday, he said.

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.

Political parties, churches, civil society organisations and student bodies have urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to reschedule the vote counting date as it falls on Sunday, which is a sacred day for the Christian community of the state.

Christians account for around 87 per cent of Mizoram's population, according to the 2011 census.

The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and main opposition party Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) have already announced the names of their candidates for all 40 seats.

Congress said that it will also contest all the seats and is likely to release the candidate list during Gandhi's visit. The BJP said that it will announce the names of its candidates for 40 assembly seats in the next two to three days. PTI COR ACD