The move from Lalrinliana Sailo comes as he is miffed with the MNF as the party finalised candidates for all the 40 assembly seats last month and denied ticket to him. Sailo was earlier with the Congress. He won four times from Chalfilh assembly constituency.
The ethnic clashes in Manipur have caused a spillover effect on Mizoram, where thousands of refugees from Manipur have sought refuge. This has heightened sentiments in Mizoram, as the refugees belong to tribes that share the same ethnicity as the people of Mizoram. The issue of the refugees and the unification of the Zo community will be a key factor in the upcoming elections in Mizoram.