GUWAHATI: The BJP has always considered the Mizo National Front (MNF) as its ally given its presence in North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) but the ruling party of Mizoram has denied it ever had any alliance with the BJP.
MNF president and Chief Minister Zoramthanga said his party had never supported the saffron party. “Our rivals often attack us with baseless allegations but the fact remains that the MNF has never supported the BJP. It has never been a part of the BJP,” he said at a programme in Mizoram capital Aizawl.
The NEDA is a non-Congress and BJP-headed conglomerate of political parties from the Northeast. The constituents have often come together in devising strategies to defeat the Congress in elections in the region.
The BJP and the MNF did not have any truck in last year’s Mizoram elections which the latter had won.
An MNF leader said the party is still a part of NEDA but “it is not an ally of the BJP”.
That the MNF wants to distance itself from the BJP was conspicuous when Zoramthanga stayed away from attending Narendra Modi’s swearing-in as the Prime Minister despite an invitation to him.
The BJP said it favoured the alliance but the MNF shut its door.
“They have shut their door on us. There is no alliance between the BJP and the MNF now. Yesterday (Tuesday), Zoramthanga said they never had any alliance with the BJP. Their MP (C Lalrosanga) also said recently outside the Parliament that he stands against the BJP’s programmes,” BJP’s Mizoram unit president JV Hluna told The New Indian Express.
“They are still a part of NEDA and Zoramthanga stated this two-three times. They are averse to the alliance with us as they fear people will target them for supporting Hindutva. Then, there is an apprehension that they will be held responsible for converting the Mizos to Hinduism. That’s what they say,” Hluna added.
In Christian-majority Mizoram, the BJP is viewed as a “Hindu” party.