Aizawl, April 9 -- Over 1,700 landowners and their families along the National Highway- 306 and NH-6 between Vairengte in Kolasib district and Sairang in Aizawl district on Monday threatened to stage a strike by refraining from exercising their franchise in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls if the government fails to meet their demand within a deadline.

The landowners have demanded the state forest department give forest clearance to a construction company to execute the widening of the national highway between Vairengte and Sairang into four lanes.

They demanded the state government to meet their demands on or before April 15 failing which the landowners and their families will not cast their votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls slated for...