Central leaders covertly helped MNF to win Mizoram polls: BJP state unit chief

Despite getting a seat in the Mizoram Assembly for the first time, the state BJP has charged its central leadership with "covertly helping" the MNF, claiming that its candidates would have fared better otherwise.

The MNF, however, denied the claim and maintained that the party won the elections without any support.

The saffron party's state unit chief, John V Hluna, said that a nexus between his party's central leadership and the Mizo National Front (MNF) might have spoiled the state BJP's chances and paved way for the regional party's victory.

"The BJP central leadership might have covertly helped the MNF. No concerted efforts were made by the party's central leaders to help the state unit. The poll results fell far short of our expectations," he said.

The state BJP chief contended that the campaigns by the central leaders were only restricted to the interstate border areas.

"I had requested the central leaders to campaign in various constituencies of the state for the Assembly polls but they concentrated only in areas bordering Bangladesh and Tripura," Hluna, who is in Delhi, told PTI over phone.

The Mizoram National Front (MNF) is a constituent of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) and the NDA. It won 26 seats in the 40-member Assembly, followed by the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) at eight and the Congress at five.

Hluna said the BJP cadre were shocked to see the dismal performance of their party as they had predicted win in "at least five seats".

"We had high hopes that Hiphei, who resigned as the Assembly speaker and contested from his home turf Palak seat in Siaha district, would win," he said.

The party was also confident of winning Mamit, Hachhek and Dampa seats in Mamit district, which has a sizeable number of minorities, Hluna said.

The BJP leader also attributed the loss of his party to the low voter turnout in 15 temporary polling stations at Kanhmun village, where Bru voters from the six relief camps in Tripura had exercised their franchise.

The voter turnout at Kanhmun polling stations was 56.46 percent while the total voter turnout in the November 28 Assembly polls was over 81 percent.

Hluna asserted that the central leadership of the BJP did not have confidence in the state unit to capture power in the state.

The main aim of the BJP leaders in Delhi was to kick out the Congress, he said, adding the saffron party should be a part of the new government in the state as the MNF is a constituent of the NEDA.

MNF president and chief minister-designate Zoramthanga had said before the polls that his party would not forge any alliance in the state.

Rubbishing Hluna's allegations, MNF vice president R Tlanghmingthanga said his party did not receive any support from national parties.

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