Mizos feel threatened by BJP’s agenda: Mizoram Congress chief

Congress in Mizoram predicted to win due to people's fear of BJP's Hindutva agenda. People feel only Congress can save their cultural & religious beliefs. BJP can win max 3 seats, but Congress will win on strength of clean & young candidates, & people feeling cheated by MNF's SEDP.

AIZAWL

The possibility of the BJP forming the government with either of the two regional parties in the fray would prompt the people of Mizoram to vote the Congress back to power, the grand old party’s State unit president Lalsawta said.

The November 7 elections to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly is predicted to be a close fight between the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM). The MNF is a constituent of the BJP-helmed National Democratic Alliance, although the candidates of two parties are pitted against each other in 23 constituencies.

Also Read | Our support to BJP is issue-based: Mizoram CM

“About 90% of the people of Mizoram are Christians and they feel threatened by the BJP’s Hindutva agenda. Since the MNF has been an ally of the BJP and there are speculations that the BJP intends to ditch the MNF and come into a partnership with the ZPM, people know the Congress is their only alternative if they have to save their cultural and religious beliefs,” Mr. Lalsawta told The Hindu.

“The BJP can at most win three seats but there is a feeling it is playing with both its lovers [the two regional parties] to be in the government in Mizoram. If that happens, it may not take too long for the ethnic violence in BJP-ruled Manipur to spill over to Mizoram,” he said.

The BJP’s bid to be in power was not the only factor why the Congress, contesting its first State election without five-time Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla in control, would return to power in Mizoram, Mr. Lalsawta said.