Aizawl, Nov 02: Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) on Thursday said that the party will not forge a post-poll alliance with the BJP even if the ZPM cannot form a government on its own in the upcoming election to the 40-member Mizoram legislative assembly, as alleged by some political parties.
Addressing media persons in Aizawl ZPM working President K. Sapdanga categorically said that in the event of the party not managing to secure the magic number, of 21 seats in in coming elections, it will not form a coalition government with the saffron party.
Sapdanga also said that ZPM will not have a post-poll alliance with any other political parties and expressed optimism that they will be able to form the next government on their own.
“The people are eager to have a new government with ‘Kalphung thar’ or a new system of governance which will not be a government of political party, but that of the people’s government,” he said.
Also Read: Curfew Restrictions Eased in Imphal Districts Until 6 PM
ZPM candidates are the only ones who make pledges not to indulge in corruption, he said, adding that the people of Mizoram want the party to form the next government without having alliances with other political parties.
Praising the Mizo National Front (MNF) government for giving shelter and humanitarian assistance to the refugees and internally displaced people who are the ethnic Mizos, the ZPM working president said that if voted to power, the party will continue to show solidarity with the ethnic Mizos in the NDA-ruled states.
He slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state Chief Minister Zoramthanga for not visiting the strife-torn neighbouring Manipur.
However, the ruling MNF and the Congress continue to accuse the ZPM of making a secret deal with the saffron party to forge post-poll alliance in the coming state assembly polls.
A press statement issued by the Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Thursday said that the BJP leaders announced that the saffron party mat not form the next government, but will be in the government in the coming elections and said that former assembly speaker Lalrinliana Sailo will be deputy chief minister.
“ZPM had earlier announced Lalduhoma as its chief ministerial candidate and the BJP later announced that Sailo will be the deputy CM, which may not be a mere coincidence” the statement said.
The MPCC also said that Lalduhoma had signed an agreement with the saffron party in March 2014, and had contested the Aizawl Municipal Council (AMC) elections and Aizawl North-3 assembly by-elections as NDA nominees in 2015.
The Congress also insinuated that the BJP-led NDA government at the centre had sent Income Tax officials at the instance of Lalduhoma to raid Kamrul Laskar, a contractor known to be close to the chief minister Zoramthanga.
The saffron party is still a political pariah in the Christian-dominated state of Mizoram to date with political parties accusing each other of being close to the national party.
Even the MNF, which is a constituent of the BJP-led NDA at the centre has never formed electoral politics with the saffron party in the state. The lone BJP legislator Dr BD Chakma also sits in the opposition bench legislature during the current term.
