Congress, MNF exchange barbs over unfulfilled promises as polls approach in Mizoram

'MNF failed to fulfill most of their promises and now they are making false claims to retain power. If they could not implement the schemes in five years, they will not do it even if they come to power again,' the Mizoram Congress said.

Guwahati: Intensifying its campaign against the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), Opposition Congress in Mizoram on Tuesday charged that the ruling party was making false claims over the fulfillment of promises it made before the Assembly elections in 2018.

Lalmalsawma, the treasurer of Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee told reporters in Aizawl that MNF leader and minister Lalramkima on October 21 made a false claim that the Zoramthanga-led government fulfilled 80 percent of the promises it made in its manifesto ahead of 2018 elections.

Lalmalsawama said the MNF had promised to give Rs 3 lakh to each family under the state economic development programme but more than 80 per cent people have not received benefits of the scheme yet. He said the MNF government failed to implement the health insurance scheme, upgrade the airport at Lengpui, and failed to fulfil another promise related to an insurance scheme for farmers and livestock keepers.

"MNF failed to fulfill most of their promises and now they are making false claims to retain power. If they could not implement the schemes in five years, they will not do it even if they come to power again. The Congress party is fully committed to the promises we have made this time," he said.

While the ruling MNF is banking on Mizo nationalism, the Congress has made several promises in its manifesto, some of which have been implemented in Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.

In Mizoram, both the MNF and the Congress were in power, alternatively. The MNF led by CM Zoramthanga unseated the 10-year-long Congress government. Zoramthanaga served as CM before 2008. Zoram People's Movement is another strong party contesting the elections for the 40 member Assembly scheduled on November 7.

MNF claims that it will retain power for the second straight term due to their stand on Mizo nationalism and development work done since 2018. Congress, on the other hand, charged that MNF and ZPM are being used by the BJP and RSS to "infiltrate" into Christian-majority Mizoram and "impose" their ideology.