Mizoram: Five ZPM members of Chakma Autonomous District Council join BJP

Five members of the ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) in the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) in Mizoram joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on January 11, significantly altering the political equations in the 20-member council.
The development comes days after the ZPM claimed that it commanded a majority in the council with 16 members and urged Governor V.K. Singh to order a floor test in the House. It also follows the Mizoram Cabinet’s recent assertion that there was no political instability in the CADC warranting an extension of Governor’s rule, which has been in place since July last year after authorities stated that no party had a clear majority.
Confirming the development, BJP district president Durjya Dhan Chakma told PTI that the five council members resigned from the ZPM before formally joining the BJP. With their induction, the BJP’s strength in the CADC has increased to seven members, he said.
Chakma further claimed that another council member is likely to join the BJP later this week, which could further boost the party’s presence in the council.
Following the defections, the ZPM’s strength in the CADC has come down to 11 members, while the Mizo National Front (MNF) has one member and there is one independent member.
The latest political shifts are expected to intensify demands for a floor test and could have implications for the future of Governor’s rule in the Chakma Autonomous District Council.