Aizawl: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) on Monday formally joined hands to form a new alliance in the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC).
The alliance, named the Chakma Democratic Alliance Legislature Party, was constituted on June 23 at Kamalanagar, the headquarters of the CADC, during a meeting chaired by Durjya Dhan Chakma, former Chief Executive Member (CEM) and BJP’s district president in the council area.
The newly formed alliance unanimously elected its office bearers, with Nirupam Chakma of the BJP chosen as Leader, Kali Kumar Tongchangya of the ZPM as Deputy Leader, Molin Kumar Chakma of the BJP as Treasurer, and Supreme Raj Chakma of the ZPM as Secretary.
The proceedings were witnessed by BJP Mizoram state general secretary and MDC Delson Notlia, and ZPM general secretary in charge of CADC Vanlalsiama Pachuau, who attended the meeting as observers on behalf of their respective party leaderships.
Following the formation of the alliance, the Legislature Party unanimously authorised its leader, Nirupam Chakma, a former minister and current MDC from the 6-Kamalanagar constituency, to stake claim to form the next Executive Committee in the CADC.
Subsequently, Nirupam Chakma submitted the required letter of support to the Governor of Mizoram through the Secretary of the District Council and Minority Affairs Department.
Under the current composition of the 20-member council, the BJP holds 10 seats while the ZPM has nine. Together, the two parties command the support of 19 MDCs, leaving only one opposition member, MNF legislator Rasik Mohan Chakma.
The formation of the BJP-ZPM alliance comes against the backdrop of prolonged political uncertainty in the Chakma Autonomous District Council. The council has effectively been without an elected Executive Committee since the BJP-led administration headed by former Chief Executive Member Molin Kumar Chakma was voted out through a no-confidence motion earlier this month. The council has also witnessed frequent shifts in political allegiance and periods of Governor’s Rule in recent years, prompting repeated calls for the restoration of stable and democratic governance. With the BJP and ZPM now commanding 19 of the 20 elected seats, the alliance is expected to bring an end to the leadership vacuum and pave the way for the formation of a new Executive Committee.
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