The Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM)-Congress combine on Thursday released the list of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls and Assembly byelection.

ZPM secretary general K. Sapdanga declared Lalnghinglova Hmar, joint editor of local daily Vanglaini and honorary secretary of Mizoram Football Association (MFA), as the candidate for the lone Lok Sabha seat in a function held at Aijal Club here.

Former bureaucrat Lalbuanga Sailo was named the ZPM-Congress common candidate for bypoll to Aizawl West-I seat.

Both the Lok Sabha and Assembly bypolls will be held simultaneously on April 11.

Sapdanga said the desire to sustain secularism and protect Christianity have brought the ZPM and Congress together. He alleged that the BJP has a hidden agenda of making India into a Hindu kingdom by suppressing all other religious minorities.

Hmar, 42, said he will try his best to uplift the state in different fields if he is elected to the Lok Sabha. The new entrant said he will give priority to the defeat of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, protection of Christianity and all-round development of the state if he becomes an MP.

He also slammed the Mizo National Front (MNF), headed by chief minister Zoramthanga, for being a part of the North-East Democratic Alliance despite claiming that it opposed the citizenship bill.

Hmar is an executive member of the All India Football Federation and a member of the Confederation of Indian Industry’s national committee on sports. He is known to be the man behind the revolution of football in Mizoram.

Hmar will be up against MNF nominee C. Lalrosanga, a former director-general of Doordarshan, and Independent candidate Lalhriatrenga Chhangte. The BJP is yet to announce its candidate.

ZPM-Congress bypoll candidate Sailo said the desire to serve Mizoram and its people motivated him to join politics.

Sailo, 62, had joined government service after his graduation in 1983. He retired as assistant director of census in 2017 after serving in different departments.

The MNF said Zothantluanga would be the party’s nominee for the Assembly bypoll.