Mizoram poll | BJP suggests post-poll alliance as party hopes for a saffron Christmas in state

AIZAWL, November 20, 2018: In the north-eastern state of Mizoram, where the much-awaited Assembly poll is around the corner, the BJP is hinting at alliancing with the leaders of prominent parties in the state in a bid to have the state celebrate a saffron Christmas.

BJP president Amit Shah recently declared that Mizoram, a Christian-majority state, will celebrate Christmas this December under the BJP rule.

The BJP has never won an assembly election in Mizoram. The state with a population of about 10 lakh, including nearly 7.68 lakh voters, is the only state in Northeast India where the party is not in power. In every other northeastern state,  the BJP is in either by winning polls or aligning with regional parties.

Assam's Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also the BJP's in charge for Mizoram elections, suggested that the party is keeping all its options open. While Congress remains a rival, the party could explore post-polls options with Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, said Mr Sarma.

"It is not like that MNF is the only option for post poll alliance," he said.

Speaking to NDTV, he said, "I say this because in Mizoram, Congress has a separate constitution. It has a unique history. As a party, its constitution different the rest of the country. Lal Thanhawla takes independent decisions. We are friendly with the chief minister as an individual."

With days left for the elections, Congress and the MNF are going all out to woo the voters.

Mr Sarma said that BJP workers in the state are trying their best and the party is hopeful of getting seats beyond its expectations.

"We are open to friendship with both Lal Thanhawla and Zoramthanga (MNF leader and former Chief Minister of Mizoram from December 1998 to December 2008). At the party-level, we are focusing on strengthening our base and targeting our rivals, but we aren't criticizing the two Mizo leaders at individual level. We are neutral to both of them and treating them as our friends."

Mizoram is significant for the Congress as it remains the only state under the party's rule as against as many as five just about two years ago, which included Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.

The Congress has been in power in Mizoram since 2008 and is eyeing the third consecutive term. In the 2013 elections, the Congress had won 34 seats, while the MNF got five and Mizoram People's Conference one.

The Congress improved its tally in 2013 elections, from 32 in 2008, but the BJP is making an all-out effort to snatch the power.

Earlier, in two other Christian-dominated north-eastern states Meghalaya and Nagaland, the BJP went on to become part of the government after joining hands with the runners-up, while the parties with highest number of seats (including Congress in Meghalaya) could not get the power.

While the MNF is part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the BJP has decided to fight the assembly elections alone and has put up candidates on 39 seats.

The Congress has accused the MNF of being silently in league with the BJP for the upcoming polls.

The MNF has denied any relationship with the BJP for the polls.

With NDTV inputs