Mizoram Polls 2023: Congress mulling post-poll alliance with ZPM?

Mizoram Congress president Lalsawta gave a clear indication of this in an exclusive conversation with Northeast Live

By Arindam Das

The Congress in Mizoram seems to have already made up it’s mind to go into a post-poll alliance after the elections. The Congress leadership in the state has given a clear indication that it will join hands with the ZPM if the numbers fall short of majority.

In an exclusive covnersation with Northeast Live, Mizoram Congress president Lalsawta said that his party seeks to form the government on its own but is also putting thoughts into action to see that it goes on board with the ZPM if the need arises.

Regarding post-poll alliance Lalsawta clearly stated that considering such options is not possible in terms of the MNF or the BJP. However, Lalsawta has left it upon the Congress high command to take a call on this.

Lalsawta said, “We are trying to form the government on our own. We have been trying to do that. In case there needs to be an alliance, there are 2 possibilities – we will not work with the BJP and secondly we will not work with the MNF. About ZPM our leaders will decide, but not now after the elections. That is a matter to be taken up post election. Our options with ZPM are open.

Depending upon the circumstances we cannot allow the MNF to be in Mizoram. If there can be no absolute majority for any party than we will have to consider a coalition government with ZPM but that is a matter to be decided by the leaders of Congress, here in Mizoram and also those in Delhi.”

In fact, the Mizoram Congress president feels that people in the poll bound state would rather prefer his party over the MNF or the BJP. To substantiate this, Lalsawta said, “They (BJP) do not have any scope of future with the MNF. We can never talk about the Congress and the BJP working together. Therefore, the people of Mizoram knowing that Congress is the only party that will never work with the BJP, they will go for Congress.”

According to Lalsawta, other political forces who are working with the BJP ultimately will not be chosen by the people. He said, “Mizo people are very religious. We take religion very seriously. The way BJP is functioning, we feel that religious freedom is under threat and we think that if any regional party is in a good relation with BJP, they will never get elected. Therefore, the BJP will hide their relations by seeing the people of Mizoram who are very religious and almost all the Mizo people being Christians they will want to work together perhaps secretly or confidentially with the ZPM party.”

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