21 YRS ON, BRUS WANT CHANGE

Tripura-settled Bru refugees who had fled violence in their native Mizoram 21 years ago, set foot in their native place for the first time in two decades to participate in Mizoram’s state assembly polls on Wednesday.

A day before the poll, Bru voters sounded dissatisfied with the polling stations in Kanhmun village along the Mizo-Tripura border. But to everyone's surprise, even veteran Bru voters and nursing mothers were seen standing in long queues to exercise their franchise for ‘change’. in their lives. The fragrance of ‘khichdi’ and non-vegetarian fare cooked by delegates of the Young Mizo Association wafted through the polling complex, as volunteers handed food packets to voters leaving the booths. " It is quite difficult to travel at this age.The camp would have been the best place to vote for us. But my nephew helped me walk to the polling booth,” said 64-year-old Sourbino Reang, a resident of the Naisingpara camp.

Sandoulani Reang, a 25-year-old feels that the BJP could change her life in such a way that she and her infant will no longer have to live in a camp. Many other motheres were seen carrying their children on their backs to cast their vote.

Some like 37-year old Ashapara resident, Rasmohan Reang who is originally from the Mamit district where the voting booths were located, still dream of unfulfilled demands.

Others like 27-year old Murenjoy Molshoy has no recollection of when he fled to the camps along with his parents. Still, Murenjoy has learnt the importance of voting. "We have the right to vote and a change is required,” he said.

Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum ( MBDPF) vice president, V Laldungliana said there were some inconveniences , like inexperienced drivers and breakdowns along the route and a lack of drinking water.

But of 541 vehicles arranged to carry Bru voters from the camps to the polling stations and back, 433 were used, indicating a strong desire to vote, at all costs, for a change .