Mizo parties steer clear of BJP

While most regional parties in the northeastern states are practically making a beeline to meet Ram Madhav, BJP’s man in charge of the region, in Mizoram, in what can be termed as the last remaining bastion of the Congress in the northeast, local political parties have shut their political doors to the BJP, fearing Christian backlash.

The two large local political parties of Mizoram, the Mizo National Front (MNF) and a conglomerate of seven local parties, the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) have both openly ruled out having any connection with the BJP.

Former Chief Minister Zoramthanga, the MNF president, despite MNF being a member of the NEDA, a conglomerate of non-Congress parties of the northeast, has openly declared that the MNF would not form pre or post-poll alliance with the BJP. So did the ZPM.

Another northeastern party, the National People’s Party of Meghalaya (NPPM), which has an alliance with the BJP in Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur, has openly said that they are contesting one-against-one fights with the BJP in Mizoram.

Another northeastern party, the National People’s Party of Meghalaya (NPPM), which has an alliance with the BJP in Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur, has openly said that they are contesting one-against-one fights with the BJP in Mizoram.

A clear reason is that none of the political parties are ready to mess with the Christian sentiments of the people of Mizoram by forming an alliance with the BJP.

A hung Assembly is what most political pundits of the state are predicting. However, Zoramthanga has said that MNF would win at least 32 seats out of the 40 up for grabs.

A political observer, who himself was a politician, F Lalnienga, feels otherwise. “Mizoram is such a small state, and with advancing information technology, I see no hung Assembly, either the ZPM or the MNF will form a new government. The BJP might get three seats, but their relevance will not be like what we have seen in other northeastern states,” he said.

In all, 212 nominations have been filed by 202 candidates for the 40 state Assembly constituencies in Mizoram. The ruling Congress and MNF have candidates in all the 40 seats, the BJP will contest from 39 seats while the ZPM has fielded candidates in 35 seats.

The BJP has contested three state elections of Mizoram in a row, but is yet to get off the mark. However, rejuvenated by the success of the party in other parts of the country, the November 28 elections are its best, the party feels.

The BJP will surely bank on their trump card – the Brus and the ethnic minorities of the state and the party’s big shots are being placed in the western belt of the state where the Bru population is concentrated.

The Bru imbroglio – a two decade long stand-off between the Mizos and the Brus - have sparked a huge controversy recently after the sacking of the state’s principal secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo after the state CEO SB Shashank filed a complaint against him for meddling with the election process.

The joint NGO coordination committee which comprised all the larger NGOs of Mizoram then demanded the ouster of the CEO by organising a sit-in demonstration which resulted in a bigger rift between the dominating Mizos and the Brus, whom the BJP are hoping to tap to win in three western constituencies – Hachhek, Dampa and Mamit. The saffron party is confident in winning the Chakma-populated Tuichawng constituency from where former Congress minister Buddha Dhan Chakma is fighting on a BJP ticket.

Hachhek constituency, the home constituency of the incumbent Congress MLA Lalrinmawia Ralte, could see an upset. The incumbent having decided to hang his boots and deciding to serve Congress Bhavan internal affairs, the Congress has fielded a young newcomer. The Brus, living in North Tripura, could vote in favour of the BJP out of hate for the Mizo parties.

Hachhek constituency has over 9000 Bru voters and over 12,000 Mizo voters. If the Brus vote for the BJP, its candidate Vanlalruata Pachuau, son of former Congress minister Saikapthianga, may sail through.

The Mizoram election is presently a difficult-to-predict scene but what is apparent is that the last bastion of the Congress in the northeast is still uncharmed by the scents of the lotus.