Alleging lawlessness, Mizoram BJP demands President's rule

The BJP's Mizoram unit on Friday demanded President's rule in the state, alleging lawlessness under the MNF government, and submitted a memorandum to Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati.

The MNF is a member of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), and a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre. However, the two parties do not work together in Mizoram.

In its memorandum, the BJP alleged that there was a total absence of good governance in the state, resulting in misuse of public money.

There was rampant corruption at every level of administration with ministers and senior officials suspected to be involved in various dubious business deals, the BJP alleged.

The Union Home Minister had directed the state government in November 2019 to check cross-border illegal trade of dried areca nuts and fertilizers from Myanmar, the BJP said.

"Despite these glaring evidence of existence of such illegal trade in this item in large volume and in utter disregard for the Centre directives, the Mizoram Government chooses to be a silent spectator on the commission of a crime before their very eyes," it said.

"The present regime run by the Mizo National Front has a dubious distinction of being dubbed as the most corrupt government Mizoram has had so far. As a good number of Ministers/MLAs are running proxy contract works system for various development works, no due process is followed in awarding contract works," it added.

The party urged the governor to invoke Article 356 of Constitution, imposing President's rule.

Despite repeated attempts, the MNF could not be reached for comment.

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