Former pastor Rev LR Colney,who is a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate for the ensuing Mizoram Assembly polls, has been expelled by the Mission For Christ (MFC), a well-known para-church in Mizoram.
According to reports, Rev Colney was an executive member of the body and a full-time missionary.
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A report published on Thursday by Newsd stated in the first list of candidates released by the BJP for Mizoram, out of total 13 candidates 2 are former pastors, Rev Colney being one of them. Another executive member of Mission for Christ is a candidate of the Mizo National Front (MNF).
While reacting to the step taken by the church body, Rev Colney, who is contesting from Aizawl East I Assembly constituency, accused the MFC of double standards.
Colney has termed it to be a politically-influenced move.
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The report quoted BJP candidate Colney as saying: “This is surprising decision and reflects double standards as the MFC has not taken any decision against the MNF candidate R Lalthangliana, who is also an executive member of MFC.”
On the other hand, while defending their stand to expel Colney, the Mission for Christ in its statement said: ”We were shocked by the fact that our executive member and a missionary Rev Dr LR Colney was one of the selected candidates of the BJP.”
The report quoted Mission For Christ president Rev Lalchungnunga as saying: “…there is no politics. Colney is like my son but our supporters have not understood him. Moreover, he is a full-time missionary and cannot take part in politics”.
Rev Colney, last week, said BJP coming into political reckoning in predominantly Christian stronghold Mizoram will be like “heavenly blessings” for the development of the State.
Meanwhile, the Mizoram BJP has termed the move to expel a former pastor and party candidate in the November 28 Assembly elections by MFC as “biased”.
A spokesperson of Mizoram BJP told a section of media that the the decision of the church body exposes its ‘double-standard’ as the MFC has not taken any action against MNF candidate, R Lalthangliana, who is also an executive member of the MFC.