AIZAWL: The joint legislature party of BJP and Mizo National Front (MNF) has staked a claim to form a coalition government in Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC) in south MIzoram’s Siaha district, a leader said on Tuesday.
BJP Siaha district president M Laikaw said that the joint legislature party of BJP and MNF was formed soon after the removal of MNF-Congress coalition government on November 24.
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The joint legislature party elected Laikaw as the leader, while MNF legislature party leader and existing council chairman N. Viakhu was made the deputy leader of the joint legislature party.
“We signed an agreement with MNF soon after the removal of the MNF-Congress coalition government on November 25 to form a joint legislature party and also to form North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) government in the MADC,” Laikaw said.
He said the agreement is yet to be approved by the MNF party headquarters in Aizawl, Mizoram.
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Although the agreement for the joint legislature party is awaiting approval from the MNF headquarters, the BJP-MNF joint legislature party has already staked a claim from the state governor to form a coalition government under the NEDA banner on November 25, he said.
MNF is a member of BJP led NEDA and is an ally of the NDA government headed by Prime Minister Modi at the Centre.
Laikaw said that the Chief Executive Member (CEM) post or Executive body has to be formed within 48 hours of the removal of the existing government as per the rule.
He said that they submitted an application requesting approval of the creation of the CEM post on November 25 to the governor.
“File for approval of the creation of the CEM post has been processed by the district council minority and minority affairs department on Monday and is now pending with the chief minister,” Laikaw said.
Mizoram BJP sources said that Laikaw has been tipped for the CEM post.
There are 10 members in the Executive Committee of the council, including CEM.
Laikaw also said that they will discuss portfolio sharing once the MNF party headquarters approved the formation of the joint legislature.
He expressed hope that the MNF headquarters will approve the joint legislature as the party is also a member of NEDA, which is headed by BJP to make Northeast a Congress-free region.
Despite repeated attempts, MNF headquarters leaders could not be contacted for comment.
The MNF-Congress coalition government headed by H. Malvin of Congress was voted out of power in a no-confidence motion on November 25.
In the council polls held in May, which threw up “hung council,” the BJP had emerged as the single largest party winning 12 seats, while the MNF won 9 and Congress bagged 4.
The 25-member MADC is one of the three ADCs in the southern part of the state created for ethnic Mara communities.