Battlelines being drawn ahead of Mizoram polls
State remains last bastion in Northeast for Congress
With declaration of elections in frontier state of Mizoram on November 28, the battle- lines are drawn as for ruling Congress, it is the last battleground in the Northeast to defend its presence in the region, whereas the BJP sees the polls as an opportunity to accomplish its agenda of a ‘ Congress- Mukt Northeast’.
The BJP has never won a seat in Mizoram, but has contested five times. However, saffron surge in northeastern states in past two years has given reason to the party to make in roads in other Chri- stian states of the region.
In 2016, five northeastern states — Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram — had Congress- led governments but in last two years, only Mizoram remains under Congress rule.
The BJP began its journey in the Northeast with its victory in Assam in 2016. Over the next two years, it won the elections in Manipur and Tripura, entered the Arunachal Pradesh government through the back door and became partner in the ruling coalitions of Meghalaya and Nagaland.
The think- tank of the party believes that a victory in Mizoram would consolidate the position of the party in Northeast but it may not be in a position to clean sweep the elections.
This was more visible when BJP general secretary in charge of the Northeast Ram Madhav on Friday said, “All Mizoram voters will elect a non- Congress government.” The indication of BJP general secretary was towards regional Mizo National Front ( MNF), which is also the part of BJP, led Northeast Democratic Alliance ( NEDA).
Strategically being a Christian state, it is believed that MNF may not enter into any pre- poll electoral alliance with BJP, but in post poll scenario BJP will certainly be the part of the alliance.
If insiders are to be believed BJP was more focused on opening its account in Mizoram instead of fielding candidates on all the seats.
The BJP leadership was also assessing its performance earlier this year in Meghalaya and Nagaland. It won just two out of the 47 seats it contested in Meghalaya and 12 out of 20 seats it fought in Nagaland.