<p> After demands from the autonomous councils of Mizoram for an amendment to the Sixth Schedule, the state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party has seen an opportunity to warm up to the electorate there. Leaders from the party’s state unit have recently reached out to central BJP leaders to look at a possible amendment. </p>.<p>However, an amendment to the Sixth Schedule might be easier said than done, and party general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh is believed to have told that to the Mizoram leaders. Sources in the party said that the party is wary of alienating the other voters in the state, especially when the demand for an amendment has not come from other states.</p>.<p>The Sixth Schedule allows for the administration of the tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram through Autonomous Councils, which were introduced to safeguard the interest of minority tribal communities in these states. The ACs deal with the Centre directly on several matters, and the ministry of home affairs is the nodal ministry for such purposes. There are around 10 ACs in all. </p>.<p>In Mizoram which has three autonomous councils – Mara, Chakma and Lai – there has been a long-term demand to amend the Schedule so that the funds from the Centre come directly to the Councils and do not come via a circuitous route involving the state government. The BJP had agreed to the demand and introduced the 125th Constitution Amendment Bill 2021 in the Lok Sabha. </p>.<p>“We were of the view that perhaps the money can route through the state exchequer but is directly sent to the ACs without the involvement of the state officials. We might have an amendment but it is likely to take a while,” a leader from the state unit, involved with the process, told DH. </p>.<p>The BJP has been keen to enter the electoral space in Mizoram, a Christian-majority state, which is the last frontier for the party in the Northeast.</p>.<p>The fact that Mizoram had led the chorus against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 did not help matters.</p>.<p>In June this year, the BJP won 12 of the 25 council seats in the Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC), one of the three councils in the state, but the ruling Mizo National Front joined hands with the Congress to finally form the council. </p>
<p> After demands from the autonomous councils of Mizoram for an amendment to the Sixth Schedule, the state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party has seen an opportunity to warm up to the electorate there. Leaders from the party’s state unit have recently reached out to central BJP leaders to look at a possible amendment. </p>.<p>However, an amendment to the Sixth Schedule might be easier said than done, and party general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh is believed to have told that to the Mizoram leaders. Sources in the party said that the party is wary of alienating the other voters in the state, especially when the demand for an amendment has not come from other states.</p>.<p>The Sixth Schedule allows for the administration of the tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram through Autonomous Councils, which were introduced to safeguard the interest of minority tribal communities in these states. The ACs deal with the Centre directly on several matters, and the ministry of home affairs is the nodal ministry for such purposes. There are around 10 ACs in all. </p>.<p>In Mizoram which has three autonomous councils – Mara, Chakma and Lai – there has been a long-term demand to amend the Schedule so that the funds from the Centre come directly to the Councils and do not come via a circuitous route involving the state government. The BJP had agreed to the demand and introduced the 125th Constitution Amendment Bill 2021 in the Lok Sabha. </p>.<p>“We were of the view that perhaps the money can route through the state exchequer but is directly sent to the ACs without the involvement of the state officials. We might have an amendment but it is likely to take a while,” a leader from the state unit, involved with the process, told DH. </p>.<p>The BJP has been keen to enter the electoral space in Mizoram, a Christian-majority state, which is the last frontier for the party in the Northeast.</p>.<p>The fact that Mizoram had led the chorus against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 did not help matters.</p>.<p>In June this year, the BJP won 12 of the 25 council seats in the Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC), one of the three councils in the state, but the ruling Mizo National Front joined hands with the Congress to finally form the council. </p>
