‘Anti-Christian image’, Manipur issue: Is discontent brewing within BJP’s Mizoram unit?

Among the political party offices in poll-bound Mizoram’s capital city Aizawl, the BJP state unit’s Atal Bhawan stands out. Located a stone’s throw away from Raj Bhavan, it’s an imposing building with a large office space and picturesque views, with a thick growth of purple flowers looming on one side and a church on the other.   

A plaque outside the building declares “Inaugurated by Home Minister Amit Shah in October 2018” – nearly a month before the BJP secured its maiden seat in the state in the previous assembly polls after five unsuccessful bids.

But the building’s opulence and the rosy façade hides rifts within the BJP itself. While the BJP has always had a tough fight in Mizoram, which has an 87 percent Christian majority, a tussle has now begun within the party. 

The BJP is set to contest from 23 out of the 40 assembly seats, mostly in the west and south constituencies that have a bigger non-Mizo population. At least five BJP state leaders told Newslaundry the party hopes to win 4-5 seats, which could put them in a kingmaker’s position in case of a hung assembly. 

However, at least four party workers said there is a “disconnect” between the party’s state and central unit. This also resonated with the two workers who recently left the party.

Speaking to Newslaundry, these current and former party workers from across the state said they were “dissatisfied with the BJP Delhi bureau”, and alleged that the party leaders at the centre did not keep their ears to the ground.

This week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Mizoram’s Mamit district was also abruptly cancelled. On being asked about the sudden change in plans, the party office bearers answered with a tight-lipped smile. 

Perception war: BJP as ‘villain’, ‘anti-Christain’

Speaking to Newslaundry, at least six BJP workers at its Aizawl office said their “biggest fight”, which they are yet to win, has been against the perception of being “anti-Christian”.

VL Awia, state secretary and election incharge of BJP Mizoram, said the “anti-Christian” perception could be fought but only with adequate support from the BJP national unit, “which is currently missing”.

“Mizos think of the BJP as the villain. They think the party is anti-Christian. The opposition has spread this narrative so much that it is now in the blood of the Mizos,” Awia said. 

“It’s very hard to get rid of this perception and we can only fight it together, in sync with the central BJP unit. But they have not helped us in this regard, and don’t understand that we have to fight this together.”

In the last few months, national leaders like BJP president JP Nadda and Nitin Gadkari have visited the state to campaign for the polls. But Awia said that none of them “make the effort to visit the office at Atal Bhawan and meet office bearers and party workers”.

Awai ascribed the BJP central unit’s indifference to Mizoram’s single Lok Sabha seat. “In the Lok Sabha, Mizoram has just one seat, so the central folks are not hungry for a win here. It doesn’t matter if we win or lose. Other states have many more seats, so they care about those more.”

The 68-year-old said the state unit’s office bearers have to stand outside the central leader’s hotels in Mizoram to meet them. “They don’t even meet us when they come here. They stay in five-star hotels and we stand outside, our backs hurting, waiting to meet them. This is the situation of a BJP Mizoram office bearer.” 

“Who will listen to our problems? The centre needs to look at the context and situation in the state, and work together with us,” he added, speaking in fluent Hindi, emphasising that it was the “national language”.

Despite his grievances, Awai said the BJP is the “true party of the people”, and can form a strong base in Mizoram, if the centre’s efforts were more synchronised with the state unit. “I will never leave this party, I am a pakka Hindustani (true Indian).”

Last year, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra was appointed coordinator of northeastern states, while the party’s national secretary Rituraj Sinha was appointed as the joint-coordinator.

On the BJP’s strategy to fight its “anti-Christian” image, the state unit’s IT and social media convener Lalramdinfela Khiangte Fela said the party’s recently released manifesto states the the BJP government would “grandly celebrate” Chaapchar Kut, Pawl Kut and Min Kut festivals – three big festivals of the Mizo community, backed by the church.

The party had also launched a Christian Missionary Cell in 2019, but it has not been active for years.

A local BJP politician, who was in the fray in the 2018 assembly polls, told Newslaundry, on condition of anonymity, that people in his constituency “liked him” but could not get themselves to like his party or its ideology.

Another worker in the BJP office, who has been with the party for almost two decades said, “The Delhi leaders never come to the office or hold interactions. It’s difficult to even meet them to talk. How will we work this way? How will the party succeed?”

Dismay over Manipur violence, deflection to Congress

P Sanghimgthanga, a politician who was an office bearer in the BJP until August, when he resigned to join the Congress, said he had seen a barrage of videos over the past year, in which BJP leaders were allegedly targeting Christians and Muslims. 

“Why is the prime minister still silent about Manipur? India is a secular country, but the BJP is now trying to change that,” said Sanghimgthanga, who cited the BJP’s handling of Manipur as one his main reasons to leave the party. He recounted “being pressured” by the centre to allegedly be present at the inauguration ceremony of the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi about a year-and-a-half ago, despite not wanting to be there.

Several prominent leaders of the governing Mizo National Front or MNF, including chief minister Zoramthanga, have criticised the BJP’s handling of the situation in Manipur. 

Two MNF leaders, state’s lone Lok Sabha MP C Lalrosanga and Rajya Sabha MP K Vanlalvena, had said earlier that both of them felt they could “no longer be on the side of injustice”, and it had become “embarrassing” to be a part of the NDA. 

Voices from inside the party have echoed this sentiment. In July, BJP Mizoram’s vice-president R Vanramchhuangan resigned from the BJP, accusing the party’s central and state unit of supporting the burning down of churches in Manipur. He subsequently joined the Congress.

“More than 300 church buildings have been destroyed or burned by the Meitei people. These incidents have not been criticised by the state chief minister or the union home minister,” Vanramchhuangan told Newslaundry. “If even one Hindu temple had been destroyed, the governments would have arrested the culprits.”

The politician, who is also a church leader in his locality, said “continuing to remain in the BJP after all this [Manipur violence] was not possible”. 

“As a Christian, it is not good to remain in the party. We have to show our love for our Christian friends and brothers outside of Mizoram as well,” he said. 

Modi’s cancelled rally, CM’s denial to share stage

First in the list of the BJP’s star campaigners, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to address a rally in Mamit, a small town in Mizoram, on October 30. But the event was called off at the last minute, even though preparations had been in full swing.

It is unusual for a high-profile rally such as Modi’s to be abruptly cancelled. Congress, which has a stronger presence in Mizoram than the BJP, linked the cancellation to the Manipur situation.

Congress earlier alleged that questions would be raised if PM Modi visited Mizoram, as he has not yet visited Manipur – despite months of violence in the state.

Notably, no leader from Manipur made it to the BJP’s list of star campaigners for the Mizoram polls.

Last week, Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga made national headlines for saying that he refuses to share the stage with Modi at his election rallies. 

In an interview with BBC, the chief minister said, “To have sympathy with the BJP at this time will be a big minus point for my party. It will be better if the prime minister comes alone and he shares the platform by himself, and I take the stage separately by myself.”

Zoramthanga’s statement came despite the governing MNF being an NDA ally, and a part of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance. 

In the current polls, “allies” MNF and BJP are taking on each other like bitter rivals – the latter’s manifesto even promises to investigate the “scams” related to MNF’s flagship programme Socio-Economic Development Project. 

In a press interaction with Newslaundry and other media outlets on Tuesday, CM Zoramthanga said if the BJP comes to power “they can do anything, even take down the stars and the moon”. 

“Our support to the NDA is issue-based,” he said, when asked about the party’s souring relationship. “If the issue they are going to take up is against the interest of the Mizo people, we oppose it. I’m one of the founding members of the NDA, and was there even before the present NDA leaders.”

Meanwhile, when Newslaundry asked BJP Mizoram’s acting president Vanupa about the cancellation of Modi’s rally, he said he had “no idea about what rallies and public meetings were happening”.

The BJP functionary was also reportedly unaware that one of BJP’s flagship rallies with Nitin Gadkari was taking place that day, and had been advertised all over newspapers and social media. 

‘Delhi leaders come once a year, don’t know reality’

Forty-year-old Andrew joined the BJP about three years ago. At the time, his relatives mocked him over associating with “an anti-Christian party” but he had been motivated by the party’s central schemes to “uplift women and eradicate poverty”.

But now, Andrew feels “disillusioned”.  

He was promised a BJP ticket for the upcoming assembly polls, but was dropped from the list of candidates at the last minute. “What’s the use of being with the BJP here when it is just some people from Delhi who come at the last minute and decide everything?”

“They aren’t here on the field. They don’t know the reality. They come here once a year, and work from five-star hotels, without meeting workers.”

After reportedly being promised a ticket from Hachhek, Andrew had been working at the constituency in Mamit district. He said over the past two years, he spent weeks at a stretch in the constituency, resolving the issues of the people, who dominantly belonged to the Brus community.   

But last week, the BJP announced that Malsawmtluanga, a prominent businessman, would contest from Hachhek.

Andrew said the party “only favours the rich and influential”. “If this is the way BJP continues, I guarantee you it will not make a mark in Mizoram…It’s anyway not easy to be in the BJP. People in my neighbourhood think I am becoming anti-Christian and have joined Hindu party.”

Mmhonlumo Kikon, the BJP Mizoram state prabhari (in-charge) said he did not believe there was any “disconnect.”

“Many people from the Mizoram BJP unit are contesting elections, so I don’t think there is any disconnect,” he told Newslaundry. “Sometimes there is a communication gap since many Mizo members cannot speak English. But we have never promised anyone a ticket, we decide candidates based on a lot of factors.”

This report has been published as part of the joint NL-TNM Election Fund and is supported by hundreds of readers. Click here to power our ground reports.