By Bhupen Goswami

Guwahati : A high-level Election Commission team, Headed by Deputy Chief Election Commissioner Sudeep Jain, a high-level Election Commission team will visit Mizoram for the second time this week in light of the ongoing controversy over the CEO and the voting rights of Bru refugees living in Tripura and discuss about the various poll related issues with Mizoram Government on Friday. The team comprising L. Khiangte, CEO, Jharkhand, S. B. Joshi, Secretary, ECI and Mrs. Lalzarmawii, Addl CEO, Mizoram will hold meetings with state government officials and representatives of NGO Coordination Committee to ensure free, fair and peaceful election in the state. The meeting will be held in the wake of stand-off witnessed early this week. The NGOs were protesting the removal of the Principal Secretary (Home) Lalnunmawia Chuaungo. The state is going for polls on 28th of this month. Earlier, he NGO Coordination Committee said on Thursday it wont allow the assembly elections to be held if the Election Commission (EC) did not meet the demands. The committee has been spearheading the protests against chief electoral officer (CEO) SB Shashank. In other hands The National People’s Party or NPP will contest eight seats in the Mizoram elections on November 28, party national secretary Lalrina said Thursday. The NPP was launched in Mizoram by its president and Meghalaya chief minister, Conrad Sangma, on September 29. Lalrina told PTI that the NPP candidates would be filing their nominations either on Thursday or Friday, which is the last date of filing nominations. “Former parliamentary secretary Hmingdailova Khiangte, who recently resigned from the state legislature after being denied ticket by the ruling Congress, would be NPP’s candidate for Tuirial seat in Kolasib district, located on the border with Assam,” Lalrina said. NPP state unit convener Lianzuala will contest from the Dampa constituency, while a retired Indian Forest Service or IFS officer, B Suanzalang, will try his electoral luck from Champhai North seat. Former president of the erstwhile underground Hmar People’s Convention or HPC, Hmingchungnunga, would be the NPP’s nominee in the Serlui seat, while Kapliana Pachuau, a journalist and a fresher, would contest from the prestigious Serchhip seat against giants like chief minister Lal Thanhawla and Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) chief ministerial nominee Lalduhoma. First timers — John Lalremruata, Lalhuliana and DD Chakma — will contest from Kolasib, Thorang and Tuichawng seats, respectively. COMMENT In Meghalaya, the NPP is the major partner of the ruling MDA alliance, while in Nagaland and Manipur it is also part of the ruling alliance. It is part of the BJP-led NDA government at the centre and a constituent of the North East Democratic Alliance or NEDA.