AIZAWL: The Congress said that the much-hyped Socio-Economic Development Programme (SEDP) that kept ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) afloat in 2018 might sink the party’s proverbial ship in this Mizoram election.
State Congress president Lalsawta said that the MNF unseated the grand old party in the last election by promising Rs 3 lakh to each beneficiary of SEDP, a flagship programme, but ended up giving only Rs 25,000. “In 2018 elections, it was Rs 1 lakh NLUP (New Land Use Policy) versus Rs 3 lakh SEDP. The MNF won through SEDP and they will now lose because of it,” said Lalsawta. He claimed that the promise of `3 lakh under SEDP was the main reason behind Congress’ defeat in the last election.
NLUP was a flagship programme of the previous Congress government, under which financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh was provided to beneficiaries to generate self-employment. The BJP has promised to set up a special investigation team to probe alleged irregularities in the implementation of SEDP. Lalsawta felt the polls would be keenly contested. “It is going to be a tough fight. Issues have changed because the BJP is intending to shut (ally) MNF and align with Zoram People’s Movement. They (BJP and MNF) are attacking each other,” he said.
He claimed that as per the reported understanding between BJP and ZPM, former Assembly Speaker Lalrinliana Sailo of ZPM would be appointed as the deputy chief minister, if the two parties form the next government.
“But Mizos are Christians and they don’t like BJP’s agenda. People will reject ZPM because it has tied up with BJP. MNF is a gone case, for people are disappointed with its performance and they won’t give it another term,” Lalsawta claimed. He was confident the Congress would return to power, stating that people are convinced it would never walk together with BJP. He claimed the Congress’ poll prospects brightened after the BJP-ZPM secret partnership came to light.