Uphill battle for Congress in Mizoram

Mizoram, the only state in the northeast where the Congress party is in power, will go to the polls on November 28. The Mizoram state assembly elections are going to be extremely crucial for the dying Congress party. Except Mizoram, the party has lost entire northeast to the BJP led NDA. It is hoping to retain the only northeastern state where it has been in power since the last ten years. The biggest challenge for the party is anti-incumbency. The incumbent Congress government is plagued by the problem of anti-incumbency. The party is also facing serious issue of desertions. Many big leaders including ministers have abandoned the party before the elections. The Home Minister of the state- R Lalzirliana left the party and joined the rival Mizo National Front (MNF). Earlier, three MLAs- Lalrinriana Salio, Buddha Dhan Chakma and H Khiangte had left the Congress party and joined the MNF.

There is going to be a direct contest between the Congress party and the MNF. In 2013 Mizoram state assembly elections, the Congress won 34 seats in 40 member Mizoram legislative assembly. The rival MNF managed to win only 5 seats.

The MNF is a member of North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) established by the BJP in 2016, as a political coalition along with regional parties but both the parties are contesting the State Assembly elections separately. Last week Amit Shah Kick started party’s campaign in Mizoram as he inaugurated BJP’s office in the state. While addressing booth level workers in Aizwal, the BJP Party President Amit Shah said that “the state would celebrate this years’s Christmas under the BJP rule”. He attacked the ruling Congress government. Amit Shah said, “Congress is infested by the corruption and dynastic rule. Chief Minister, Lal Thanhawla wants to make his brother chief minister.” He also said, “When UPA government was in power they allocated Rs 19974 crores for Mizoram and NDA after coming to power in the Centre, doubled the allocation to Rs 42972 crores.” Amit Shah claimed that Lal Thanhawla led Congress government of the state was blocking implementation of 129 schemes meant for the state, as their implementation would lead to a steep rise in the popularity of PM Modi in the state.

The upcoming Mizoram state assembly elections are going to extremely arduous for Congress. The party is facing a resurgent BJP and a stronger MNF in the state. To add, the usual plague of Congress style factionalism is rampant within the party. The inept leadership of Rahul Gandhi only adds insult to the injury. In such an environment, if the Congress still manages to retain Mizoram then it would be no less than a miracle, although chances of the Congress comfortably retaining Mizoram are miniscule. Its rival BJP, unyielding on its mission of ‘Congress Mukt Bharat’, is leaving no stone unturned to strengthen its grip in the state. The party has launched high-profile campaigning in the poll bound state.

Winds of change are clearly blowing in the state and looks like the dying party will be laid to rest for good, this time around.