Mizoram assembly election results: BJP co-opts MNF win, Congress sees ‘big picture’

GUWAHATI: The takeaway from Tuesday’s assembly election results was not a decisive one. While BJP said its ‘Congress-mukt’ northeast agenda has been successful, Congress was quick to point out that the victory was MNF’s and that BJP made little inroads in the Christian-majority state.
“All eight northeastern states, including Sikkim, are now under the rule of either BJP or its Neda partners. Mizoram is the latest addition,” Dilip Saikia, general secretary of Assam BJP, said on Tuesday.
“Besides, BJP made its presence felt in the Christian-majority state for the first time. This gives us fresh energy for the Lok Sabha election. Mizoram’s mandate has made it easier for BJP and Neda to achieve the target of winning the maximum number of parliamentary seats in the northeast,” Saikia added.
The reason behind this optimism? “Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His development agenda is what helped BJP expand its footprint in the northeast. And it will have a positive impact on the upcoming Lok Sabha election as well,” Saikia said. There are 25 parliamentary seats in the northeast, 14 of which are in Assam. BJP president Amit Shah had earlier announced the saffron party would win 21 of these seats.
Congress, which has lost its last stronghold in the northeast, is for now looking at the “big picture” — its gains in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and the tough fight it put up in Madhya Pradesh — to keep its hopes up for 2019.
“The defeat in Mizoram was because of local factors. BJP lost in three states — it will have a far-reaching impact across the country,” Congress spokersperson Apurba Bhattacharya said.
“In Assam, people are angry after the two-and-half-year rule of the BJP-led government. Besides, Congress’s victories in the heartland is the harbinger of a ‘BJP-mukt Bharat’,” Bhattacharya added, turning the BJP slogan around.
Senior Congress leader Zoiinath Sarma said the party the assembly polls in three states have bolstered the Congress workers across the country as well as in Assam.
“We will improve our Lok Sabha seats beyond seven out of 14. People are frustrated with the pro-rich policies of the BJP. People of Assam will also give their mandate against the pro-rich policies led to BJP’s defeat in the three states,” Sarma said.