K.V. Seetharamaiah
Survey agencies predicted that MNF would emerge as the single largest party falling short of simple majority in Mizoram. ZPM was pushed to second place by poll of polls with the expectation of MNF getting 16 seats, ZPM getting 15 seat, Congress bagging 8 seats and others getting 1 seat. But the predictions of exit poll agencies belied with ZPM getting 27 seats against the magic figure of 21 seats. MNF had to be content with 10 seats, Congress with just 1 seat as against 5 it had got in the 2018 election. BJP has improved its tally from 1 seat in 2018 to 2 seats in 2023. ZPM has been in a position to form the government without any support from other parties. BJP’s hold is now 6 out of 7 North East seats. Presently ZPM is part of neither NDA nor INDIA. ZPM does not need any party’s support. As such it is more likely to remain independent by maintaining cordial relationship with the centre irrespective of the parties in power at centre. This has been reiterated by the ZPM leader Lalduhoma. Lalduhoma wants to project himself as an apolitical figure. It is well-neigh impossible to be so, because even if he wants to be apolitical, others do not allow him to be apolitical. Blame-game is the birth place of politics. He has given vent to his views that the people of Mizoram are fed up with MNF government. If he really wanted to be apolitical he need not have expressed anything that provokes the MNF. Opposition parties always see non-performance in the ruling parties. When opposition parties demand any statement, the ruling parties cannot remain deaf and dumb. Provocation is met with provocation. Good governance cannot go unnoticed. The new dispensation in Mizoram must concentrate on service to the people and take on board every segment of people. Whether the ZPM opts to be part of NDA or INDIA hardly matters because Mizoram has lone Lok Sabha member. The significance of a single member arises only at the time of confidence of no confidence motion if the ruling party falls short of a single member to prove majority. In a situation of this kind, the ZPM has to take side with either NDA or INDIA. Now INDIA has been finding it extremely difficult to function as a cohesive unit. The meeting of INDIA slated for December 6 has been postponed to December 17. The saint Kanakadasa said “everyone should shed “I”. If two ‘I’s are removed from INDIA, there remains NDA. After the results of 5 state Assemblies came out, knives are out and fissures in INDIA bloc have started developing. Congress has been losing leverage in the bloc. Allies are heaping insult on Congress injury. (Insult to injury). Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has accused the Congress of its display of “big brother” attitude on seeing the results of the five states. He has expressed his unhappiness for Congress not aligning with the Samajawadi Party. Mamata has dubbed the defeat as the defeat of Congress, not people. It does not require special mention that Congress is defeated. In every election political parties win and political parties lose. Disunity among the constituents of INDIA is a blessing in disguise to BJP and NDA in general and Modi in particular. Negative campaigning, malicious and misinformation campaign against Modi did not pay dividend to Congress and other opposition parties. In Mizoram also, Congress slipped from 5 seats to 1 seat. This is an indication of Congress losing ground in most parts of the nation. It is a poor consolation that it gained Karnataka and Telangana. Karnataka is not guaranteed either for BJP or for Congress.
