By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: Mizoram Chief Minister and senior Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) leader Lalduhoma on Wednesday categorically ruled out the possibility of his party formally joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), asserting that such a move has never been part of the party’s agenda.
His remarks came amid reports suggesting that the ruling ZPM had formally aligned itself with the NDA-led coalition at the Centre.
Addressing a press conference in Aizawl, Lalduhoma, who recently stepped down as ZPM president, said the party values a cordial and constructive relationship with the Centre but does not see any immediate need to become a formal constituent of the NDA.
He emphasized that the ZPM remains committed to its founding principle of being a regional party with a national outlook.
The Chief Minister disclosed that senior national leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, have on several occasions invited the ZPM to join the NDA. However, the party has consistently opted to maintain friendly relations with the Centre without formally entering the alliance.
“Ever since we formed the government, both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister have repeatedly invited us to join the NDA. We have always responded by saying that we are willing to maintain a good working relationship and extend cooperation whenever necessary. Therefore, we do not see any urgency to formally join the alliance,” Lalduhoma said.
He reiterated that the ZPM has not joined the NDA and that the matter has never been discussed or placed before the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) or other decision-making bodies.
According to Lalduhoma, Mizoram has historically benefited from a political culture in which regional parties maintained close ties with whichever party was in power at the Centre. He recalled that during the days of the Mizo Union, when Mizoram was part of Assam and later a Union Territory, local leaders often worked closely with ruling parties in Dispur and New Delhi to secure developmental benefits for the region.
The Chief Minister also argued that the emergence of national political parties in Mizoram altered the state’s political landscape and reduced the flexibility regional parties once enjoyed in maintaining constructive ties with successive governments at the Centre.
Referring to former Chief Minister Brig. T. Sailo’s vision, Lalduhoma said the ZPM continues to uphold the ideal of being a “regional party with a national outlook.”
Commenting on the recent alliance between the ZPM and the BJP in the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC), Lalduhoma clarified that the arrangement was based on political necessity rather than ideological alignment.
He noted that no single party had sufficient numbers to form the Executive Committee independently, making cooperation among parties unavoidable. The alliance, he said, was a local political arrangement that received approval from the ZPM leadership.
On Tuesday, the ZPM and BJP formally came together to form the Chakma Democratic Alliance Legislature Party, led by BJP member Nirupam Chakma, to stake claim to forming the Executive Committee in the CADC.
The BJP currently holds 10 seats in the council, while the ZPM has nine members.
The CADC has been under Governor’s Rule since January this year following prolonged political instability and frequent changes in leadership. The current spell of Governor’s Rule is scheduled to end in early July.