Mizoram: Congress, MNF locked in battle for Aizawl     

Donning his Chakma waistcoat proudly, Loki Chakma stands cheerfully in queue to meet his boss, his elected MLA - Zodintluanga. It takes nearly an hour when his chance to speak to the MLA finally comes. He is there to report the Congress party’s ground situation of Thorang constituency. With fine rhetoric he dismisses the opposition’s chances of toppling the present sports minister, his boss for the past 20 years.

“The BJP thinks that we can be easily bought, but we are not. Of course a few of us joined the BJP during the past two three years, but now they told me that they wanted to come back. From my village about 60 voters left us and joined the BJP, now they want back in,” Chakma says.

“It’s not just about money, our party in Mizoram is time tested, the minorities have been with us, and they are secure with us,” four-time MLA from Thorang constituency and state Sports Minister Zodintluanga says.

Like Chakma, there are many who believe that the Congress is likely to win Mizoram for the third time. The political drama stage as of now, with the axing of Home Minister R Lalzirliana and his eventual exit from the party and the resignation of AICC member and former Health Minister Lalrinliana Sailo from the Congress look like a checkmate for the opposition party, the MNF, but political writers say otherwise.

Malsawmdawngzela, a journalist from Aizawl, is of the opinion that toppling the present Lal Thanhawla-led Congress government would be a herculean task for the MNF, or any other party whatsoever. “The exit of two senior Congress leaders is sure a big concern, but without them the Congress still has 32 MLAs,” he says.

The November 28 Mizoram polls will see three national parties contesting – the Congress, the BJP and the Meghalaya based National Peoples Party, but then, the battle will be between the Congress and the MNF.

The BJP has contested the past five elections in Mizoram but things aren’t going the saffron way. Despite being one of the younger entrants in Mizoram politics, the party’s internal struggle is a demon that has been haunting them; dismissal of three Yuva Morcha presidents during the past one year does not spell integrity.

Despite the two visits made by BJP national secretary Ram Madhav to this hill state and his fine rhetoric, the Christian-dominated state of Mizoram will be a difficult one for the saffron brigade to conquer.

“The fight will be between us and the MNF, BJP is not even in the picture. From what I’ve read and opinion polls I believe that the Congress is making a comeback in other poll-bound states. Mizoram’s resistance to the saffron wave will inspire other states too,” Joseph Lalhimpuia, chairman of Mizoram Youth Commission and MLA from Lunglei East constituency says.

The major opposition party – the MNF - are banking on anti-incumbency and their new recruits R Lalzirliana and Lalrinliana Sailo to spice up their campaigns, but it seems the addition of two former bigwigs of Congress only added funfare. It was expected that the exit of the two Congress leaders would make a big dent in the ruling Congress party but not a single general secretary joined them.

“I believe it’s just a political drama, the tally still stands in favour of the Congress, the MNF needs something to sell, something to lure the voters, the polls are being slated for November 28, the MNF needs another trump card, not just the anti-incumbency factor they are banking on,” Malsawmdawngzela says.

Recently the late PA Sangma’s National Peoples Party of Meghalaya was officially launched in Aizawl with an anticipation to rope in the two resigned Congress leaders. But as the party is unlikely to make an impact on the political scenario of Mizoram, they both opted out.

The NPP, apart from ruling the state of Meghalaya, has marked their presence in he cabinets of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. They have vowed to be a part of the next Mizoram government.

A third front under the banner of Zoram Peoples Movement, a political conglomerate of lesser known parties in Mizoram, has emerged recently in Mizoram, with Lal Duhoma, former IPS officer as their chief ministerial candidate. However, they are expected to finish third in the polls.

The INC will formally declare their candidature for the upcoming polls on Thursday. The party has been in power for two consecutive terms. Ticket aspirants are queuing up at the Congress Bhavan which makes it difficult for Lal Thanhawla’s PAC department. The big question is will Lal Thanhawla’s political clinic be able to cure the disgruntled sitting MLAs and unhappy aspirants. If it does, it will stop the saffron juggernaut in the northeast.

This article first appeared on National Herald on Sunday.