Is BJP eyeing power in Mizoram through poaching politics? 'Will soon become Ram-Ram'
The saffron party is reportedly seeking to replicate its 2016 Arunachal strategy by reaching out to ruling ZPM lawmakers to form its first government in the state
A significant political development is brewing in Mizoram as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) steps up efforts to expand its foothold in the north-eastern state's politics.
With just two MLAs in Mizoram's 40-member Legislative Assembly, it is reportedly reaching out to a section of lawmakers from the ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) in an effort to bring them into its fold to form the state’s first saffron-party government.
'Govt takeover plan' underway
A fresh round of closed-door meetings involving a group of ZPM legislators and ministers is expected to be held in the state capital Aizawl in the next day or two, as part of ongoing efforts to concretise the “government takeover plan”, according to a highly placed source.
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It is, however, not immediately known how many legislators and ministers are already on board. Of the 27 ZPM members in the Assembly, the BJP would need the support of at least 19 to form a government with its existing two MLAs.
The BJP’s state leaders are tight-lipped about the development, either skirting comments on the issue or not responding to calls.
The party’s Mizoram president, K Beichhua, who is also a sitting MLA, did not answer calls made to reach him, while his immediate predecessor, Vanlalhmuaka, could not be contacted as his mobile was reportedly “either switched off or not reachable”.
Another party office-bearer, who did not wish to be named, exuded confidence that Mizoram would soon be “Ram-Ram,” in an obvious reference to the BJP, whose political mascot is the Hindu deity Ram. The leader, however, refused to comment on the upcoming meeting, saying, “It is top secret,” and then adding, “I don’t have any knowledge of it.”
Replicating Arunachal of 2016
If successful, the BJP could replicate a strategy it used in Arunachal Pradesh in 2016, when it rose from being an insignificant player in the state’s politics to assuming power by capitalising on the mass defections of 33 of the 43 MLAs of the then-ruling People’s Party of Arunachal.
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That move allowed Pema Khandu to switch allegiance and form a BJP-led government, establishing a template for backdoor power shifts.
The ZPM, which secured a convincing majority in the 2023 Assembly elections, has been governing under Chief Minister Lalduhoma.
The party has consistently maintained that it will not formally ally with either of the national coalitions — the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) or the Congress-led Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) — although it continues to offer issue-based support to the Centre.
Ruling ZPM under pressure
Internal dissatisfaction within ZPM ranks, combined with a perception among some lawmakers that the state could benefit from closer ties with the central government, has led to a degree of churning within the ruling party.
This was reflected in recent developments at the Chakma Autonomous District Council, a key tribal council in southern Mizoram.
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Earlier this month, five ZPM members of the 20‑member council resigned and joined the BJP, boosting the party’s representation in the CADC to seven members and weakening the ZPM’s hold in the council.
While these council shifts have not yet translated into large-scale defections at the state Assembly level, they signal potential cracks in ZPM’s grassroots cohesion that the BJP appears to be capitalising on.
The BJP has been critical of how ZPM handles its relations with the government at the Centre.
The BJP’s other sitting MLA, K Hrahmo, not too long ago criticised the ZPM for offering issue-based support to the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre rather than formally joining the alliance, arguing that this stance has denied Mizoram vital development opportunities.
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According to him, “Had the ZPM joined the government, Mizoram could have avoided its present hardships and benefited from people-oriented policies and strong national support, particularly for Christians and missionaries.”
He also suggested that a formal alliance with the NDA could have positioned Mizoram to secure a Union ministerial berth, potentially bringing greater central investment into the state, an argument that has been part of the BJP’s broader narrative in Christian-dominated north-eastern states where it seeks to overcome historical resistance.
Mizoram next goes to polls in 2028.
