Pre-election scene in Mizoram 1984

Pre-election scene in Mizoram
Nitin A.Gokhale
(THE SENTINEL: 25 January, 1984)

Speculations will continue as 'far as the question of mid¬term poll goes but there are no marks for guessing as regards to the Assembly elections in Mizoram. The Union Territory will go in .for "the battle of ballot" —only fourth of its kind since Mizoram was formed in 1972 - in April. .
Accordingly all the contestants have drawn the battle lines and it will be only a question of time when they go in for real action. In fact the railing People's Confer-ence had an extended session of its executive committee in Aizawl last week to decide the election strategy.

The Congress-I, on its part has divided the Union Territory into five zones, each of them headed by a senior PCC-I official to carry out systematic campaig¬ning in all the 30 constituencies.

The other two parties, the Mizo Convention (MC) and the Mizo Union (MU) have identified the issues over which they will fight the elections and have began sending its volunteers to the interior areas.

Highlighting the achievements of its government will be the main aim of the People's Confer¬ence. As the party general secre¬tary, Mr K. Lianchia said, "we will ask the people to give us a chance to complete the develop¬ment works which we have began so successfully."

But Congress-I naturally thinks otherwise, Claimed the MPCC-I general secretary, Mr Sainghaka: "The actual portion reaching the common man is meagre and only a select few have gained from the huge amounts spent on the projects. "We will therefore promise the people a clean administration. They are fed up with the corruption and nepotism that exists in the present govern¬ment." Even the vice-president of the Mizo Convention, Mr J. Thanghuama otherwise comple¬tely opposed to the Congress-I agrees with Mr Sainghaka on the charges of corruption.

In the circumstances, all the three Opposition parties, the Mizo Convention, Congress-I and the Mizo Union see an eye to eye-on the issue of corruption and the ever-present MNF problem. While the Mizo Convention and the Congress-I are ready to step down (that is if they come to power) in favour of Mr Laldenga if the Centre accepts his terms, the Mizo Union would like to go with the consensus not because it supports the cause of the MNF but because through past experi¬ence they have learnt that "antagonizing the MNF means bringing untold miseries to the people".

Another point of focus will be the question of Chakma infil¬tration. Though the Congress-I maintains that it is not such a big problem as made out to be, the Mizo Convention and the Mizo Union are likely to make it a point to put everything behind the demand to detect and deport the Chakmas. Asserted the MC vice-president: "We are going to make the Mizos aware of the threat of assimilation."

Coming to the possibility of seat adjustments, it seems that the Mizo Convention and the Mizo Union will come to some sort of agreement.

Talking to shopkeepers, stud¬ents and some middle and lower level government employees, one gets the impression that they prefer the prevailing peace and thereby the present government.

As a senior bank officer rightly commented the common man might as well give another chance to the present ministry. But as if to remind them that they are not irreplacable the people will vote them back to power with a reduced margin!”
In any case it is too early to predict anything though it remains to be seen what impact the recent decision of the Centre to declare the MNF as unlawful will have. Another factor to be watched is the possible effect of the resignation of the Education Minister
and his joining the Congress-I. There have been counter claims on this aspect.