Mizoram needs to change perspective towards BJP: Vanlalhmuaka

Mizoram BJP unit president Vanlalhmuaka on Monday said that Mizoram should change its perspective towards the BJP to usher in more development in the state. The BJP  on Sunday named Vanlalhmuaka as its candidate for the upcoming elections to Mizoram’s lone Lok Sabha seat and a function to formally declare him as the BJP candidate was held at the party office in Aizawl on Monday. Addressing the gathering after being declared as the BJP candidate, Vanlalhmuaka while exuding confidence that the NDA will retain power after the Lok Sabha polls, said that Mizoram should learn ways to collaborate with the NDA government to bring more development in the state with the help of the Centre.”The people of Mizoram should change their perspective towards the BJP and Mizoram should learn ways to collaborate with the NDA government like other northeastern states, which are predominantly inhabited by the Christians, to usher in development,” the 63-year-old BJP leader said.

He claimed that other northeastern states particularly Meghalaya, Nagaland and the hill areas of Manipur, which are dominated by the Christians, worked together with the NDA and they are in the path of development. Vanlalhmuaka blamed rival parties in the state for tarnishing the BJP’s image by projecting it as ‘communal’ or ‘anti-Christian’ and also confusing the voters about the Saffron party. He emphasized that Mizoram has an MP, who is aligned with the ruling party at the Centre, to usher in more development in the state. Vanlalhmuaka expected a ministerial berth if he is elected in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Vanlalhmuaka joined the BJP in 2014 and became the party state president from January 2020. He had unsuccessfully contested the Mizoram assembly polls in 2008 as an independent and on the BJP tickets in 2018 and 2023. So far, the BJP had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha polls in Mizoram on two occasions – 1998 and 2019. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP nominee Nirupam Chakma had secured third rank after Mizo National Front (MNF)’s C. Lalrosanga and Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM)-Congress combine candidate Lalnghinglova Hmar.

The party vote share in the 2019 polls was 5.75 per cent against the MNF- 44.89 per cent and ZPM-Congress combine- 43.26 per cent.

Polling for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Mizoram will be held on April 19 and over 8.6 lakh electorates, including 4.41 lakh female voters, are eligible to  exercise their franchise. Ruling ZPM has fielded political debutant Richard Vanlalhmangaiha, 46, while the MNF named sitting Mizoram’s lone Rajya Sabha member K. Vanlalvena,54 as its candidate.Congress has nominated retired Mizoram Police Service (MPS) officer and former state home secretary Lalbiakzama (64) and People’s Conference (PC) fielded well-known Mizo singer and lyricist Rita Malsawmi (48). Both are also newbies in politics. Former Congress worker and ex-BJP leader Lalhriatrenga Chhangte, who lost the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, will also contest the upcoming polls as an independent.