AIZAWL, June 6 - After having edged out the Congress in six north-eastern States, the BJP has its eyes set on Mizoram, the last bastion of the grand old party in the region.
Dubbing Mizoram as an �unfinished agenda�, BJP national secretary Ram Madhav said here today: �Mizoram is the only State in the North East waiting for the BJP to take over power. This will be achieved in this year�s Assembly elections.�
Madhav made his maiden visit to the State to chair the BJP State executive committee meeting that was followed by a press conference. Mizoram is going to the polls in the last part of this year.
�We are preparing our rank and file across the State to face the upcoming elections. We will launch a massive election campaign from August, after the monsoon is over, and set up 100-plus booth-level committees across the State,� he said.
On being asked the possibility of forging an electoral alliance with regional parties like the saffron party had done in other north-eastern States, Madhav said, �We have NEDA, an alliance of all regional parties in the North East. The Mizo National Front (MNF) is a part of it. Even though NEDA is more of a development alliance, it can be an electoral alliance.�
Earlier, MNF chief Zoramthanga said his party would not forge any pre-poll alliance but fight the State Assembly elections alone.
�We are neither linked with the BJP nor are we going to forge pre-poll electoral alliance with any party. We will go it alone in the Assembly polls,� Zoramthanga said.
Optimistic of winning majority or being part of the Government even though the BJP is still a small party in the north-eastern State, Madhav said chances of forming the Government in the State are high, given the achievement the party made in the recent Chakma Autonomous District Council elections where it won five seats, from no seat in the previous elections, and formed the Government with the support of Congress. �The Congress councillors had no choice but to support the BJP councillors,� he said.
He added: �There is a liking for the BJP in the North East. I believe this will continue.�
Attacking the successive State governments, particularly the Congress that has ruled the State for two consecutive terms, Madhav said: �Mizoram is one of the most peaceful States in the country. Yet, in terms of development, it lags behind due to the failure of the successive governments, particularly the Congress.�
�Not because the State lacks potential, but because of the Government�s inefficiency, Mizoram does not produce power to meet the State�s requirement of only 110 MW. The State still imports majority of its food items from other States. All the State roads are in a pathetic condition. This is because the Congress Government has done nothing,� he said.
Accusing the Congress of trying to paint the BJP as an �anti-Christian party� and a �communal party�, Madhav said: �The BJP is ruling in many States where Buddhists, Christians and Muslims are in majority. This is a clear indication that the people of India from across diverse cultures and religions have embraced the BJP as their party.�
What the BJP wants from the people of Mizoram is to give the BJP the opportunity to form the Government and see the difference. �The BJP will not interfere in your cultural and religious practices. The BJP stands for development of the country and respects every culture and religion in this country,� he said.
