Mizoram Elections: Roads Not Smooth For BJP

Guwahati: The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) recent uprising in the North Eastern states have given a new status quo to the political equations of the Congress and other regional parties. While it is ruling Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, it supports coalition governments in Meghalaya and Nagaland. Hence, winning Mizoram polls would help the party achieve its mission of a Congress-mukt (free) Northeast India.

But the party has a hard task to accomplish its mission in Mizoram polls where around 87 percent of the population is Christian, according to the 2011 census, and reports indicate that Mizos still view the BJP with skepticism.

The BJP party's effort to combine its Hindutva image with a pro-minority face in the state has created a setback following the beef ban by Narendra Modi led BJP government at the center. While BJP candidates are making efforts to dispel myths about the party being Satanic for the Christians, Congress is taking advantage of the situation.

Prior to polls in Meghalaya, Congress had even launched a campaign saying if BJP comes to power, it will impose Hindutva on Christians.

Despite the BJP party contesting elections in Mizoram five times, things have not looked bright for the party in the state.

Experts are of the opinion that dethroning Lal Thanhawla-led Congress government from power would be a Herculean task for any party.

However, with anti-incumbency brewing, the Congress party too will not have a easy access to power for another term in the state. The Congress-led government has had to face flak on two accounts – state of the infrastructure, and lifting of the ban on alcohol. Mizoram’s roads are in a terrible condition, and they have not seen any improvement over the two terms that the Congress has enjoyed there. Besides reports of increased alcohol-related deaths in the state is also adding to the woes for Congress ahead of the polls.

The seat of power in Mizoram has been swinging between Congress and the Mizo National Front (MNF) since 1984 (although with a short President’s rule in 1988).

the defection factor has also given a major jolt to the Congress party's poll equation in the state. Two Congress leaders recently quit the party to join the MNF. Dr. BD Chakma, the former minister, and a Chakma tribe leader has recently quit the Congress to join the BJP.

Regional parties like MNF, National People’s Party (NPP), Zoram National Party (ZNP) and Mizo People’s Convention (MPC) pose more threat to Congress than BJP.

The major opposition party, MNF had formed the government for two terms and its leader Zoramthanga has been twice the Chief Minister of the state. The party is banking on anti-incumbency and their new recruits R Lalzirliana and Lalrinliana Sailo to spice up their campaigns.

In the 2008 assembly poll, the Congress won 32 out of the 40 seats with 39 percent vote share, while the MNF had three seats with 31 percent vote share. In 2013, the Congress increased both its seat count and the vote share (34 and 45 percent) while the MNF saw its vote share decrease to 29 percent but walked away with five seats. In the last Lok Sabha election, Mizoram sent a Congress representative to the parliament – the state’s lone MP.

In its effort to create a dent in this otherwise two-head race., BJP national President Amit Shah spoke to about 7,000 BJP workers in Aizawl and accused the Chief Minister Lal Thanhwala of running “a corrupt and dynastic rule” in the state. He claimed the CM was trying to promote his younger brother, currently the health minister, as the next chief minister.

Although a small state with only 7.68 lakh people on the rolls, Mizoram will be an important battlefield for the Congress and the BJP. While the former will test its ability to hold the only post they currently have in the northeast, for the latter it will be the last frontier to be won in northeast India.

Mizoram goes to polls on November 28, and results will be announced on December 11.

Also Read: Election Commission Directs Mizoram Government to remove Principal Secretary