Mizoram Polls 2023: Cong’s big claim BJP-ZPM has a pact, have decided Dy CM

This claim by Congress comes within hours of Union Minister and BJP’s election in-charge for Mizoram, Kiren Rijiju telling Northeast Live that no party is untouchable

In a big claim, the Mizoram Congress today said that the BJP already has a pact with the ZPM and have also decided the name of the next Deputy Chief Minister.

According to Mizoram Congress’ chief spokesperson Ronald Sapa Tlau, the BJP and ZPM have decided to make BJP’s Mamit candidate, Lalrinliana Sailo, the former Mizoram Assembly Speaker who had recently left MNF and joined BJP, the Deputy CM.

Speaking exclusively to Northeast Live, Tlau said, “They (BJP leadership) have very strongly announced that BJP will be in partnership with whoever is coming to power in the next election. So there are only two options – Congress and ZPM. It is totally impossible for a partnership between the Congress and the BJP, so the only party left is ZPM. I am not drawing a conclusion. I want the people to draw their own conclusion. I leave it upon them (people).”

When asked if a secret understanding has already taken place between the BJP and ZPM, the Congress leader without mincing words said, “That is to be assumed without any doubt.”

This claim by the Congress comes within hours of Union Minister and BJP’s election in-charge for Mizoram, Kiren Rijiju telling Northeast Live Editor-in-Chief Wasbir Hussain in an exclusive interview yesterday that no party is untouchable.

To a specific question from Hussain if ZPM could be the possible partner of the BJP in Mizoram, Rijiju said, “No political party is enemy to us. We are just political rivals and no political party is untouchable. So alliance and working together specially in a parliamentary democracy it happens. But in the very eve of the elections it will not be wise for me to point our line of action. But I can say that nobody is political enemy and after all whether ruling or opposition, we all have to work together. We will all have to work for Mizoram. So there is nothing called untouchable, but we are against the dirty politics of the Congress party and any politics which is divisive in nature.”

Reacting to reports that Mamit candidate and MNF defector Lalrinliana Sailo has already been declared as the Deputy CM by BJP, Tlau said, “I am not alleging, it has been announced. That is well said which totally means that if they have gone that far to make a public statement, there is somebody out there, somewhere in Mizoram with whom they have finalised all these matters. Without that a national party, ruling party like the BJP cannot foolishly declare that kind of thing, which is a very sensitive thing as you all know.”

Read also: Mizoram Polls 2023: MNF rubbishes allegations by rivals, says SEDP a success

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