Two BJP MLAs and the lone Congress legislator in Mizoram will abstain from voting in the Rajya Sabha election scheduled for Thursday. The main opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) has appealed to both parties to support its candidate.
Background of the Election
Mizoram has only one Rajya Sabha seat, and the state assembly comprises 40 members. The abstention of three MLAs could impact the voting dynamics.
BJP's Decision
A state BJP leader confirmed that the two party legislators, Dr. K Beichhua (state president) and K Hrahmo, will follow instructions from the national leadership and abstain from voting. This decision comes despite MNF being part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre and the North East Democratic Alliance.
Congress's Stance
The Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Wednesday decided that its lone MLA, C Ngunlianchunga, will also abstain from voting and will not support either the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) candidate or the MNF candidate.
A press statement from MPCC explained that while the party received an appeal from MNF to support its candidate, Zothansangi Hmar, the Political Affairs Committee decided that supporting either candidate would be equivalent to supporting the BJP, as both MNF and ZPM have links with the NDA. Therefore, the lone MPCC MLA will abstain.
Controversy Over Voting Validity
Social media has been abuzz with a statement from ZPM candidate K Laltluangkima, who reportedly said in a local TV interview that if any party legislators engage in cross-voting, their votes would be regarded as invalid. Reacting to this, Eva Tochhawng, election agent of MNF for the Rajya Sabha polls, called the narratives false, baseless, and regrettable.
Current Strength
ZPM has 27 legislators, while MNF has 10. The abstention of three MLAs means that 37 MLAs are expected to vote.
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