Mizoram: Believe it or not, BJP, Congress forge alliance to rule Chakma Autonomous District Council

In Mizoram, the Congress and the BJP have joined hands to rule the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) in the hill state.

Aizawl, April 27: Politics in Northeast India is not easy to understand and predict, although lately, many are attempting to do so with great frequency. Well, we wish them luck. After reading this piece of news, you all will agree that politics in the region is really different from what we get to see in the rest of the country.

While across the country the Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are sworn enemies, in Mizoram the two parties have joined hands to rule the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) in the hill state.

A Congress leader in Mizoram on Wednesday told PTI that "in an interesting political development, the Congress and the BJP have joined hands to rule the CADC after the election threw a fractured mandate".

The Congress bagged six seats while the BJP won in five seats in the election to the 20-member CADC held last week and the results were declared on Tuesday. The Mizo National Front (MNF) won eight seats, while the election to one seat was stayed by the Mizoram High Court.

The CADC is an autonomous council for ethnic Chakma people, formed under the sixth schedule of the Constitution on April 29, 1972. The Council exercises legislative, executive and judicial powers over allotted departments within the territory of CADC.

State sports minister and Congress leader Zodintluanga said the post-poll alliance was forged after local leaders of both the parties reached an agreement. However, this would not have any bearing in Delhi or in the coming election to the state assembly, he said. The state BJP leadership were not happy with the development.

BJP members told PTI the party may take action against the elected CADC members for forging an alliance with the Congress. They said they are awaiting the decision of the party leaders of Guwahati and Delhi on this. The two parties fighting at the national and state levels formed a joint legislature party which elected Santi Jiban Chakma of the BJP as its leader and Buddha Lila Chakma of the Congress as deputy leader, stated PTI.

Santi Jiban Chakma was tipped to become the chief executive member, the administrative head of the Council, PTI reported. After the election results were declared, BJP president Amit Shah congratulated the party's unit in Mizoram and the Mizoram National Front for securing the majority vote. "BJP-MNF between them have won 13 out of 20 seats," Shah tweeted.

"This has been possible because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's focus on the North East. It also marks beginning of BJP's rise in Mizoram."

The Assembly elections in Mizoram are likely to take place before the end of 2018. Currently, the Congress is in power in the state.