U Soe Htet and U Pau Lun Min Thang, former ministers in the Chin State government under the NLD-led civilian administration, will run alongside prominent Chin politician U Pu No Than Kap in the upcoming junta-supervised election.
The list of Chin State candidates for Phase 1 of the December 28 election was revealed on social media on October 21 and included the names of the three.
U Pu No Than Kap, a prominent Chin State politician, has confirmed to Khonumthung that he will run for the National Hluttaw’s proportional representation (PR) seat representing the New Chinland Congress (NCC). He stated that he only requires approval from the UEC to formalize his candidacy.
Chin political communities said that the decision by prominent Chin politicians to run in the upcoming junta-run election, which has carried out killings of civilians nationwide, including in Chin State since the coup, is entirely their own personal choice.
“These are personal choices. Forming a party is political, and making decisions based on your own beliefs is political too. So, at the end of the day, it’s just about choosing a political path, and they have the freedom to do so,” said Salai Shein Tun, a Chin political analyst on federalism.
U Soe Htet and U Pu No Than Kap, founding members of the NCC, plan to contest constituencies through the PR system in the upcoming election.
U Pu No Than Kap is the former chairman of the Chin NLD, while U Soe Htet served in ministerial roles for Industry and Municipal Affairs during the NLD government and is currently the chairman of the NCC.
U Pau Lun Min Thang, who served as Minister of Social Affairs under the NLD government, will contest Chin State National Hluttaw Constituency No. 1 representing the Zomi National Party (NZP).
According to Chin political communities, he is also a leader of the Zomi Revolutionary Army–Eastern Command (ZRA-EC), a group that maintains close ties with the coup junta.
Former parliamentarian Daw Cing Ngaih Mang, who won her seat in the 2015 and 2020 elections representing the Zomi Congress for Democracy (ZCD), will contest the upcoming Chin State Amyotha Hluttaw election under the PR system, this time representing the Zomi National Party (ZNP).
The Chin State UEC has verified and approved the names of all candidates for the Pyithu Hluttaw, Amyotha Hluttaw, and Chin State Hluttaw elections in Chin State.
In the upcoming election, the NCC, ZNP, Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), and People’s Pioneer Party (PPP) will compete for constituencies in Chin State.