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Mizoram Assembly Election Results 2018: Congress-mukt Northeast now a reality
0 out of 8: Mizoram follows its seven sisters, bids goodbye to Congress
Updated : Dec 12, 2018, 06:00 AM IST
 "Lal Thanhawla")
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The eight states of the Northeast, once considered a Congress stronghold, have steadily moved away from the party. Tuesday saw the final nail in Congress’ coffin, when the party was unseated from its last remaining bastion: Mizoram. What’s more, sitting chief minister Lal Thanhawla lost both seats he contested from.
As far as wake-up calls and alarms go, Congress has decided to hit the snooze button till a turnaround comes about at the Centre. Party insiders say that without resources at hand, the Northeast is up for grabs for any alternative that stands up. Party president Rahul Gandhi has decided to live with the idea that with a crucial Lok Sabha battle ahead in 2019, states with more strategic interest will need the party’s attention and not the eight states which were, for the longest time, considered Congress’ loyal turf.
The Congress’ loss has been BJP’s gain. Assam minister and Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma, once scorned from the Congress, said his vow to make the region Congress-mukt has been finally been achieved. “It is a matter of great pride that there is now no Congress government in the Northeast,” Sharma told DNA.
Local party Mizo National Front (MNF) won 26 seats in the 40-member Assembly, with the Congress managing only five seats. MNF party president Zoramthanga, who will be the state’s chief minister now, has declared there will be no need for support from the BJP.
Zoramthanga’s decision to not seek BJP’s support may be because he is wary of the Church, which wields considerable influence in Mizoram, but Sharma says this is no cause for worry for the BJP. “MNF is a constituent of the Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA). So, we will have a good working relationship with him and he will be part of NEDA. And we are working closely,” he said.
So while the Congress focuses on the heartland, the BJP is trying to make some gains from the Northeast, which will send 25 MPs to the Lok Sabha. With general anger in Assam being against the BJP given the Citizenship Amendment Bill, Congress could well be giving up without a fight.
