 "Ready to ally with ZPM if it gets more seats: BJP on Mizoram elections")
Ahead of the Assembly polls in Mizoram, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday said that it hopes to form the next government in the northeastern state on its own. Mizoram BJP president (in-charge) Vanupa Zathang stated that the saffron party is ready to ally with either the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), which is already a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), or the main opposition party, Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), whosoever gets more seats.
The BJP is contesting 23 seats in the 40-member Mizoram assembly elections. In an interview with news agency PTI, Zathang said that the BJP's campaigning is going well and the people of Mizoram understand the party's objectives. He stated that the opposition's "propaganda" branding the BJP as an anti-Christian party hasn't worked.
Zathang stated that the BJP has already clarified its stand on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and Article 371G of the Constitution and has nothing more to say on these issues.
Asked about the BJP's stand if Mizoram has a hung Assembly, Zathang said, "In such a situation, we will support the MNF if it remains with the NDA. If ZPM gets more seats than MNF, then BJP will have no difficulties in going with them." He ruled out a coalition government of all the three non-Congress parties BJP, MNF and ZPM.
Earlier today, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge criticised regional parties such as the Mizo National Front (MNF) and the Zoram's People Movement (ZPM) for acting out as the "unofficial agents" of the BJP. Congress leader Sonia Gandhi had alleged that the MNF and the ZPM claim to act independently but "are gateways for the BJP into Mizoram".
The term of the Legislative Assembly of Mizoram concludes on December 17 this year. Mizoram is one of the five states where assembly elections are scheduled for November-December. Assembly elections will be conducted in Mizoram on November 7 and the counting of votes will be done on December 3.