GUWAHATI: Mizoram will go to elections on Tuesday in the backdrop of the bloody ethnic violence in adjoining Manipur.
Campaigning in the Christian-majority state ended on Sunday with the candidates offering their prayers in churches. Altogether 8,57,063 voters, including 4,39,026 females, will decide the fate of 174 candidates, 16 of them women.
The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) and Congress are contesting all 40 seats, followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 23 constituencies and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in four seats. As many as 27 independent candidates will also feature in this year's elections.
Observers say while a triangular contest is expected among MNF, ZPM and Congress, MNF and ZPM appear to be ahead of Congress. MNF’s biggest advantage is a divided Opposition.
Anti-incumbency, underdevelopment, failure to fulfil a major promise of the 2018 elections and ZPM’s rise in urban Mizoram were MNF’s major challenges but the Manipur crisis, which is an emotive issue for the Zo tribals, emerged as the party’s lifeline.
Mizos, Kukis, Zomis, Hmars, Chins (Myanmar) and Kuki-Chins (Bangladesh) are ethnic cousins, belonging to the Zo community. So, when over 12,000 displaced Kukis from Manipur fled to Mizoram, the state government sheltered them, a gesture that is expected to put MNF in good stead in the polls.
As for veteran MNF stalwart and Chief Minister Zoramthanga, he walked along with protestors in solidarity with Manipur’s affected Kukis and reignited the “Zo reunification” dream. In its election manifesto, MNF pledged that the Zos would be united with “higher authority” in accordance with the United Nations’ 2007 Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.
MNF played the Zo card again when the state government refused to collect the biometric and biographic data of over 35,000 refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh despite a directive from the Centre.
"We have people with the same affinity in Manipur. They know we have done a great thing and they are pleased. The people (Kuki-Zo tribals) from Manipur are in favour of MNF’s return to power," Zoramthanga, who himself admitted the Manipur crisis would be a major poll issue, told this newspaper recently.
However, his government faced criticism for alleged shoddy implementation of the flagship Socio-Economic Development Programme that kept MNF afloat in 2018. It had promised Rs 3 lakh to the beneficiaries for agriculture and allied services, industries etc but ended up giving Rs 50,000. Congress claimed only Rs 25,000 was provided and that too, to MNF workers.
MNF remained silent on the issue of unemployment which is as high as 23 per cent. Zoramthanga blamed the political crisis in Myanmar for the rising drug problem in the state.
The contest in Mizoram has been invariably between MNF and Congress until the ZPM’s emergence in the last election when it had bagged eight seats, the second highest after MNF’s 26.
ZPM is hoping to upset the MNF applecart by championing the cause of regionalism and promising a corruption-free government. The party believes people would vote for it after having tried and tested Congress and MNF.
While the ZPM has grown significantly in urban Mizoram as evident from its victory in all 11 seats in the Lunglei civic body elections in March, it lacks strong party organisations in rural Mizoram.
Its image took a beating after a message went to Mizos that it has entered into a tacit understanding with the BJP which carries the "anti-Christian" tag in the state.
Similarly, the Congress claims that nobody knows who is financing ZPM. It warned voters that a vote for ZPM would be a vote for BJP through the backdoor, indicating BJP is trying to be a part of the next government by riding piggyback on ZPM.
The focus of the BJP has been on seven seats in the four districts of Lawngtlai, Siaha, Lunglei and Mamit. Minority Lai, Mara, Chakma and Bru communities have sizeable populations in these seats. In 2018, BJP won the Tuichawng seat which falls under the Buddhist Chakma belt in Lawngtlai district. The party’s overall vote share was 8.09 per cent with 33 candidates forfeiting security deposits.
The Congress is optimistic that people would reject both MNF and ZPM for aligning with BJP. MNF and BJP are partners in NDA and non-Congress North East Democratic Alliance but their ties strained after the Manipur violence.
Former minister Lalsawta heads Congress’ Mizoram unit. He has a clean image but as he is allegedly dictatorial, some leaders ditched the party and joined ZPM. Then, Congress lacks leaders in the stature of former Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla.
The numbers in Mizoram
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