BJP and ZPM lock horns over control of Chakma Autonomous District Council

Aizawl, Dec 21: The battle for control over the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) in Mizoram has intensified, with both the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) that rules the State and the BJP locked in a show of strength to form the next executive committee (EC).

Four days after ZPM Members of District Council (MDCs), led by legislature party leader Mohan Chakma, approached Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati to stake their claim to form the executive committee as the single largest party, the BJP on Friday declared its intent to form the government.

The BJP plans to secure the backing of the lone Mizo National Front (MNF) MDC and former Chief Executive Member (CEM) Rasik Mohan Chakma to reach the majority mark.

With nine MDCs, the BJP is relying on the MNF's support under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to take its combined strength to 10. However, this still falls short of the required majority of 11 needed to constitute the executive committee.

Meanwhile, MNF's Rasik Mohan Chakma stated that any decision regarding support would be made by the party's central leadership in Aizawl.

At a press conference held today, BJP MDCS discussed their strategy for forming the government. Despite the absence of one MDC, the remaining eight reiterated their commitment to ensuring effective governance under the NDA.

The BJP MDCs highlighted that with the potential support of the MNF, they could form a legislative party under the NDA's leadership. "The magic number to form the executive committee is 11, and we are confident of securing the additional support needed to achieve this majority," a BJP spokesperson said.

Molin Chakma, vice chairman of the CADC Planning Board, outlined the BJP's position, noting that the ZPM's claim as the single largest party does not meet the CADC's requirement for a simple majority. "Without 11 MDCs, the ZPM cannot legally form the executive committee," he pointed out.

The BJP MDCs expressed their resolve to explore all possible options to secure majority. Should their efforts fail, they plan to advocate for the suspension or dissolution of the council, calling for fresh elections to break the political impasse.

As the standoff continues, the future of the CADC hangs in a balance.