Former minister Lal Thanzara to be Congress candidate

AIZAWL: Former Mizoram health minister and Chief minister Lal Thanhawla's younger brother, Lal Thanzara has been selected as the Congress candidate in the bypoll to Aizawl North - 111 Assembly seat, scheduled to be held on November 21.

Incidentally, the seat fell vacant after Lal Thanzara had resigned on August 18 last in the wake of an alleged 'conflict of interests' for his holding more than 21 per cent shares in a construction company which had bagged road construction work under the state government.

His selection was announced by MPCC Vice President R Lalzirliana today.

Lal Thanzara's HP Food Products company was also alleged to have supplied nutrition items to the state Social Welfare department when he was the Parliamentary Secretary and later a minister of state.

Lal Thanzara had said that allegations against him, though baseless and false, caused embarrassment to the government and the Congress party.

He had denied the allegations by opposition parties that he received pecuniary benefits from Sunshine Overseas Company, the construction company.

He had, however, admitted that the company gave him shares, but without his knowledge.

He had claimed that he resigned as a minister and a legislator to prove his innocence so that he could be investigated freely by the investigating agencies.

Other political parties were yet to announce their candidates for the bypolls.