Aizawl: BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday criticised the Congress government in Mizoram as “corrupt” and said it failed to deliver services to the people of the state.
At a campaign rally at R. Dengthuama Indoor stadium in Aizawl, Shah accused Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla of running “a corrupt and dynastic rule” in the state. He claimed Thanhawla was trying to install his younger brother as the next chief minister. Lal Thanzara, younger brother of the chief minister, serves as health minister in the state government.
Shah said the BJP would not form an alliance with any other political party in Mizoram, including the opposition Mizo National Front, a constituent of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).
NEDA is a political coalition formed in 2016 by the BJP, along with regional parties such as Naga People’s Front, Sikkim Democratic Front, People’s Party of Arunachal, Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People’s Front.
Mizoram will see a single-day voting on November 28. Results will be declared on December 11 along with four other states.
Mizoram is the only state in the northeast where Congress has a government and BJP leaders have asserted they would make concerted efforts to oust Congress from the eight northeastern states. Lal Thanhawla, also Congress state unit president, has been Mizoram chief minister since 2008.
Shah held Lal Thanhawla responsible for the despicable condition of roads and highways as the state public works department was the latter’s portfolio.
Citing several central projects and funds allocated for Mizoram, he alleged that the Congress government failed to take up any development projects to benefit people.
The BJP chief, welcomed Dr. B.D. Chakma, former minister and Congress legislator who resigned as a member of the assembly on Tuesday, into the party.
Shah was accompanied by Assam finance minister and BJP general secretary in-charge of Mizoram elections Himanta Biswas Sharma, party general secretary Ram Lal and senior party functionaries. He also inaugurated Aizawl’s BJP office called “Atal Bhavan” in Tuikhuahtlang.
BJP to contest all 40 seats
Mizoram would celebrate Christmas under the BJP-led state government, said Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah on Wednesday, adding the party would field candidates in all the 40 Assembly seats of the state where polls are due on November 28.
“People of Mizoram would celebrate the next Christmas in the state under the BJP-led state government. Congress would be voted out in the assembly polls,” he said while addressing party’s booth-level workers’ meet at R. Dengthuama Indoor Stadium in Aizawl.
Shah, who came here after holding meetings with Assam party leaders and state Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in Guwahati, said the BJP would field candidates in all the 40 constituencies on its own without alliance with opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) or the ruling Congress.
“If BJP forms government in Mizoram, all 100-plus Central flagship programmes would be implemented successfully,” said the BJP leader who also inaugurated BJP’s state office, Atal Bhavan, in Aizawl.
The ruling Congress on October 11 has announced 36 candidates for the upcoming polls, dropping eight sitting MLAs and fielding 12 new faces.
State Congress president and Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla will contest from two constituencies — his home turf Serchhip and Champhai South.
(Agencies)
