The new political outfit of Mizoram – the Zoram People’s Movement on Saturday said it will not field any Chakma candidate in the upcoming Mizoram polls slated for November 28.
Talking to mediapersons at Aizawl Press Club, the party’s publicity secretary James C Lalnuntluanga said that his party would abide by the request of the NGO Coordination Committee not to field Chakma candidates.
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“Our party has made it very clear that we would not field Chakma candidates. We have made a statement prior to the NGO Coordination Committee plea,” James C Lalnuntluanga said.
This decision was taken long time back, he added.
A committee of all the larger NGOs of Mizoram under the banner of NGO Coordination Committee has urged political parties in the state not to field any candidates from the Chakma tribe for the November 28 Assembly polls.
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Around 90,000 to 100,000 Chakmas live in Mizoram and constitute the second largest ethnic group after majority Mizo tribe. They have their own Autonomous District Council in south-western Mizoram.
The NGO Coordination Committee last year had asked all the political parties not to field any Chakma candidate in the Assembly elections.
At the present Mizoram assembly, two Chakma Congress legislators – Nihar Kanti Chakma and Buddha D Chakma were elected, of which the latter resigned from the MLA’s post and recently joined the BJP.
The pressure made by the NGO Coordination Committee has made political parties reluctant to name candidates from West Tuipui and Tuichawng assembly constituencies. The All India Congress Committee announced candidates for these constituencies from New Delhi. The MNF is yet to name candidates for the two seats.
The ZPM has announced candidates for all the 38 seats except the two Chakma area constituencies. “The party has a principle. We cannot accept the foreigners. In fact as soon as we assume power, we will drive the illegal Chakmas out of Mizoram,” James C Lalnuntluanga said.