Mission Mizoram: BJP fields former pastors, ex-MNF leader

Aizawl, Oct 25: The BJP has seen a meteoric rise in the northeast over the past few years but it is yet to make inroads in Mizoram, the last remaining Congress-ruled state in the region. The party is leaving no stone unturned this time to win that state as well in its quest for 'Congress-Mukt Bharat'. It has decided to field two former pastors in the state which has a predominant Christian population.

The two pastors - Rev LR Colney and Rev H Lalruata - will be contesting from Aizawl West II and Lunglei East seats, respectively, Northeast Today reported. In 2013, the Aizawl West Ii constituency was won by the Mizo National Front (MNF) while Lunglei East was won by the Congress. The decision was taken at a meeting of the BJP's central committee last week.

Lalruata worked as a minister under Mizoram's legendary chief minister Laldenga and later joined the Congress in 1993. The BJP has weak organisation in the state where its ideology of Hindutva has also not found a smooth take-off. The BJP, however, takes encouragement from the fact that in the neighbouring Negaland which also has a Christian dominance, it won 12 out of 20 seats it contested in the Assembly election early this year. In 2013, the BJP had won only one seat in Nagaland.

Last week, when BJP president Amit Shah visited Aizawl, he shared the stage with Nagaland's Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton who is from the saffron party to convey the message that Nagas, who are committed Christians, are also voting for the party. The BJP is in power with the National Democratic Progressive Party in Nagaland.

BJP fields former MNF leader

The BJP has also given ticket to Vanupa Zathang, a former IPS officer who left the MNF where he was allegedly snubbed and joined the BJP. Zathang had contested the 2013 election for the MNF from Lawngtlai constituency but lost to the Congress's H Zothangliana by only 273 votes. Zathang belongs to the Lai ethnic group and is a popular figure in the Lai autonomous council region, Northeast Today reported. According to analysts, the Lai community has a tendency to side with the ruling party in Delhi and that could go in favour of the BJP in the upcoming election.

"As a sub-tribe, they consider themselves 'minority' to an extent and feels insecure with mainstream Mizos in MNF or in Congress," Northeast Today cited political analyst Pu Lalruipui as saying.

The BJP has also fielded Malsawmtluanga, a businessman and the party's Young Wing president in Mizoram, from the sensitive Mamit constituency which was won by the Congress last time. In 2013, the B JP's candidate from Mamit, C Darlianthanga, received 100 votes to end fifth among five candidates.