Mizo National Front (MNF) president and Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga hopes to buck anti-incumbency and is banking on Mizo nationalism, fueled by the Manipur ethnic violence, to retain power for another term. On Tuesday, he spoke to a select group of journalists, including HT’s Utpal Parashar, on a range of issues, including the party’s ties with the BJP and NDA (of which it is a part) at the Centre. Edited excerpts:
The BJP has been targeting the MNF in this
Mizo National Front (MNF) president and Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga hopes to buck anti-incumbency and is banking on Mizo nationalism, fueled by the Manipur ethnic violence, to retain power for another term. On Tuesday, he spoke to a select group of journalists, including HT’s Utpal Parashar, on a range of issues, including the party’s ties with the BJP and NDA (of which it is a part) at the Centre. Edited excerpts:
The BJP has been targeting the MNF in this election. Is that a sign that ties between both parties have turned sour?
MNF has stood by the principle of ‘For God and our Land’ since 1961. The BJP may have a different principle than ours. Our support to the NDA is based on issues. If they take up any issue which is against the interest of the Mizo people, we will oppose it.
The Zoram Peoples Movement says the MNF has diluted its ideology because of its alliance with the BJP as part of NDA…
ZPM is the most diluted ideology. Since 1986, the party has changed itself (under different identities) more than 10 times. On the other hand, MNF has been standing on its ideology since 1961 without any dilution.
The Opposition has alleged that drug trafficking from Myanmar has increased under the MNF government. Do you think the state has done enough to fight this?
Drug trafficking has been going on for a long time. But since there’s no law and order and a normal government in Myanmar, the problem has increased. Mizoram is located at the border, so automatically, drug trafficking gets increased…
Did the ethnic strife in Manipur give the MNF a lifeline for this election?
The Manipur crisis has been going on since May and it needs to be resolved. In Manipur, there are a lot of Mizos who have suffered because of the problems between the Meiteis and the tribals. They are our brothers, we sided with them.
Do you think the issue of unification of all Mizos (those in Mizoram and in other places) will play a role in the election?
It will. We are from the same family and have the same affinity. They know that we have done a great thing for the displaced people (Chins from Myanmar and Kuki-Zos from Manipur) and they are very pleased. That’s why, (Kuki-Zo) people from Manipur are in favour of MNF coming back to power. If some other national party forms the government in Mizoram, it will be troublesome for our brothers and sisters from Manipur (who are staying in Mizoram).
Why did your government go against the Centre’s directives to collect biometric details of refugees from Myanmar currently staying in Mizoram?
We have recorded their (other) details. The order from the Centre intimidated them. Plus, with the elections coming, there was no time to indulge in that work. In 1971, when millions of refugees from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) came to India, was there any collection of biometrics?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is very active during elections in the northeast. But this time, he is missing from the scene in Mizoram. Do you think it is because of the conflict in Manipur?
The Prime Minister is a busy man… he is sending his important ministers (like Nitin Gadkari) to Mizoram. There are other big states where the elections are happening, and he has to campaign there as well. Even if he comes to Mizoram, he is not going to campaign for the MNF, he will do so for the BJP.
Do you believe there is an anti-incumbency wave against MNF? And how are you fighting it?
After one term, there might be some anti-incumbency in some corner of the state. But by and large, people know that we have overcome Covid, and we have withstood that and other law and order issues, including influx of refugees from Myanmar and Manipur. Even if the Opposition tries to fire the anti-incumbency salvo against my government, people understand that during the most difficult times, the MNF has been able to ensure basic supplies and other things.
How many of the total 40 seats will MNF win this time and if you fail to get a majority on your own, will you tie-up with others?
We need 21 seats to form the government. It is my expectation that we will win at least 25 or even more.
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