Before the upcoming assembly elections in Mizoram, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP of trying to take tribal land in Mizoram for the benefit of their associates. Kharge also claimed that regional parties like the Mizo National Front (MNF) and Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) were operating as unofficial agents of the BJP.
Kharge emphasized the historical role of Congress in bringing peace and statehood to Mizoram through the 1986 Peace Accord and securing statehood in 1987. He argued that the BJP and RSS are opposed to diversity and aim to acquire tribal land and forests for the benefit of their associates.
Kharge further stated that the people of Mizoram deserve peace, prosperity, and progress, and that Congress is committed to ensuring their welfare, inclusivity, and economic security. He promised that Congress would deliver on these commitments.
On October 30, the Congress, aspiring to regain power in Mizoram, pledged that the first session of the new Legislative Assembly, led by the Congress party, would pass a new bill to protect the land, forests, and rights of the state’s tribal population.
The Mizo National Front (MNF) is a regional political party in Mizoram that originated from the Mizo National Famine Front, established by Pu Laldenga to protest the Indian government’s inaction during the 1959 famine in Mizo areas of Assam state.
The Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) is a six-party regional alliance led by MLA and former Member of Parliament, Lalduhoma.
The Mizoram assembly elections are scheduled for November 7, with vote counting on December 3. In the 2018 polls, the Mizo National Front secured 26 out of 40 seats with a 37.8% vote share, while the Congress won five seats and the BJP secured one seat.
