BJP hopes to form govt in Mizoram; ready for post-poll tie-up

Aizawl: The BJP, which has just one legislator in the Mizoram Assembly, on Thursday said it hoped to form the next government in the northeastern state on its own.

If the people of Mizoram give a fractured verdict, then the saffron party is ready to forge an alliance with either the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), which is already a part of the NDA, or the main opposition party, Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), whosoever gets more seats.

The BJP is contesting in 23 seats in the 40-member Mizoram assembly elections on November 7. In 2018, it had contested in 39 constituencies and won one seat, opening its account for the first time in the state assembly.

"Our campaigning is going very well. People are accepting our stand on various issues and understanding our policies. We hope to form the government on our own this time," Mizoram BJP president (in-charge) Vanupa Zathang told PTI in an interview here.

He claimed that the opposition's "propaganda" branding BJP as an anti-Christian party hasn't worked and the people of Mizoram don't look at it in that way.

"We have explained our stand on Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and Article 371G of the Constitution. The UCC is still under examination by the Law Commission. We have nothing more to say on this," Zathang said.

On the opposition's allegation of possible dilution of Article 371G, he said the party has explained to people the special provision for Mizoram and that it is a permanent clause, not a temporary one like Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir.

Article 371G of the Indian Constitution is a special provision for Mizoram. It states that no central law relating to religious or social practices, customary law and procedure, and ownership and transfer of land will be applicable unless the Mizoram Legislative Assembly ratifies it.

Asked about the BJP's stand if it fails to get a simple majority and Mizoram has a hung Assembly, Zathang said, "In such a situation, we will support the MNF if it remains with the NDA. If ZPM gets more seats than MNF, then BJP will have no difficulties in going with them."

He, however, ruled out a coalition government of all the three non-Congress parties — BJP, MNF and ZPM.

"I don't see that happening. But if that happens, then a decision has to be taken by our central leadership. We are open to any party except the Congress," Zathang asserted.

On the Myanmar refugee crisis, which became a flashpoint between the central and state governments, Zathang declined to comment.

"We never discussed it in the party. Regarding the internally displaced people from Manipur, our stand is clear that they are our brothers and sisters. But this is not an issue in the elections," he added.

In September, the MNF-ruled Mizoram government had refused to collect biometric details of Myanmar refugees saying the same could lead to discrimination. Before that, it had rejected the Centre's directive to push back the refugees.

However, in July this year, a pilot project of recording biometric data of Myanmar nationals was launched in all the 11 districts of the state. More than 31,000 refugees have taken shelter in Mizoram since February 2021 after the Myanmar military junta staged a coup in the neighbouring country.

On October 27, BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda released his party's manifesto for the Assembly polls in Mizoram, making a host of promises such as a 33 per cent reservation for women in government jobs and investigation into alleged corruption in a social welfare scheme of the MNF government.

In the 70-page 'Vision Document', the BJP went big on promises aimed at attracting women voters, who play a significant role in Mizoram's society.