BJP has decided to contest from two constituencies in the Chakma-majorit in the coming assembly elections in Mizoram. The two Chakma dominated areas are West Tuipai and Tuichawng in Champhai district.
State BJP chief JV Hluna has said,”We have high probability in the two Chakma-majority seats in Champhai district. The two probable candidates are very good”, quoted by TOI.
The party has not yet announced names of its candidates for the election to be held on November 28 but has shortlisted 15 constituencies, including these two seats, where it could win.
Mr. Hluna said, “We have categorised the 40 seats in three groups. Fifteen of them are in group A, where we have high probability of winning provided we field the right candidate at the right place. There are 10 seats in group B where the winning probability is relatively less and the rest are in group C.”
The BJP is eyeing the votes of nimority tribals in this area. J V Hluna has said that the BJP workers are unhappy and feels that the central leadership is giving more importance to the minority than the indigenous Mizos.
The party workers are also upset over the fact that the central leadership has not handed the control to the state unit of the party.
History of Chakmas:
The Chakmas are a Buddhist minority Scheduled Tribe in the state where the Mizos constitute 70% of the population. They entered India from the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh from 1957 to 1962 following religious persecution and settled in Mizoram and Tripura from where they bifurcated to Arunachal Pradesh. Some of them are settled in New Delhi as well.
The Chakmas got an autonomous district council (ADC) under the Sixth Schedule in 1972 which the majority of Mizos have opposed.
The Chakmas since then have been at loggerheads with the Mizos and combine indegnious tribes of Arunachal Pradesh at their settlements. Recently , the mizos staged a protest on Wednesday and demanded dissolution of the council.