“Won’t share stage with PM Modi,” Mizoram CM Zoramthanga adds any association with BJP will be a drawback

Mizo National Front (MNF) president and Mizoram’s fifth chief minister, Pu Zoramthanga, is gearing up for the upcoming Assembly elections. The MNF is a part of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), a wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA. Mizoram, a neighboring state of Assam, shares its borders with three districts of Barak Valley. The upcoming election in Mizoram holds significance for Southern Assam, with the core discourse centering around the infiltration of Kuki Refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh and the ethnic clashes in Manipur.

In an interview with the BBC, CM Pu Zoramthanga made it clear that he intends to contest the elections independently and not as part of the NEDA or the BJP alliance. Zoramthanga emphatically stated, “I won’t share the stage with PM Modi,” emphasizing the religious and political differences, saying, “All the people in Mizoram are Christians, and the PM belongs to the BJP. When the Meitei people in Manipur, a state ruled by a BJP government, burned Churches and expressed their opposition to such ideas, any association with the BJP would be a significant drawback for us.”

The MNF has articulated its position on refugees, expressing support for the influx of refugees from Myanmar entering Mizoram directly or through Manipur. CM Zoramthanga pointed out that they are following the path set by the Indian government, citing the example of East Pakistan in 1971 when millions from that region found refuge and independence in India. He said, “We are also doing the same. They, the refugees from the Chin province of Myanmar, speak the same language as us; they are our brethren. On humanitarian grounds, we are providing them with food and shelter. This unwavering stance will be a significant advantage for us in the upcoming elections.”

Zoramthanga also expressed optimism about the restoration of peace in Myanmar, which has been under military rule following a coup. He noted that underground groups in Myanmar are interested in peace initiatives, providing hope for a return to stability in the region.

Regarding Manipur’s ethnic conflicts, Mizoram’s CM asserted that it is the prerogative of the Union Home Ministry to intervene and restore peace.