Title: Mizoram Chief Minister Refuses to Share Stage with Prime Minister Modi Ahead of State Elections
Date: November 22, 2021
Aizawl – Mizoram Chief Minister Joram Thanga has made it clear that he will not share the platform with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his upcoming campaign visit to Mizoram. Thanga, who is a member of the Mizo National Front (MNF), has stated that campaigning alongside PM Modi could be detrimental to his party’s prospects in the state elections.
The elections for the 40-member assembly in Mizoram are scheduled to take place in a single phase on November 7. With the nomination process concluding on October 20, political parties are now gearing up for their respective campaigns. Notably, the MNF emerged victorious in the previous 2018 elections, securing 26 seats and forming the government in Mizoram.
Prime Minister Modi, who is set to campaign in the western part of Mizoram on November 30, appears to have faced opposition from Thanga. In an official statement, the Mizoram Chief Minister highlighted the state’s predominantly Christian population and expressed concerns about potentially alienating the voters by aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Thanga stated, “All the people of Mizoram are Christians. When churches were burned in Manipur, our people stood against it. In such an environment, sympathizing with the BJP could be a setback for our party. So it will be right for Prime Minister Modi to campaign alone, and I will campaign alone.”
While the MNF maintains an alliance with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and the North-East Democratic Alliance at the national level, the party prefers to operate independently within the state. The Mizo National Front Party is currently functioning in the absence of the Congress party, which has historically been a prominent political force in Mizoram.
Mizoram, a northeastern state in India, shares borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh. Due to ongoing conflicts and unrest in neighboring regions, Mizoram has become a refuge for more than 40,000 people from Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Manipur. This situation further emphasizes the need for focused and effective governance in the state.
As the campaign season heats up in Mizoram, Chief Minister Joram Thanga’s decision to distance himself from Prime Minister Modi’s campaign signals the complex political dynamics at play in the state. With the election just around the corner, all eyes are now on the candidates and parties as they strive to win the trust and support of the voters in Mizoram.