Mizoram: 8 BJP members of Chakma council defect to ZPM

Eight BJP members of the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) in south Mizoram's Lawngtlai district defected to the state's ruling party Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), an official said on Monday.

The development has threatened to unseat from power a four-month-old BJP-led executive committee.

Seven members, including sitting council chairman Lakkhan Chakma, resigned from the BJP and joined the ZPM on Sunday, the CADC official told PTI.

They were joined by another BJP member Santosh Chakma on Monday, he said.

The party now has only six members, losing majority in the 20-member council.

The present council headed by BJP leader Molin Kumar Chakma as Chief Executive Member (CEM) was formed on February 4 as the first BJP-led council since the formation of the CADC in 1972.

In the council, the ZPM now has 12 members, BJP six and the MNF one, the official said.

One seat remains vacant due to the death of a BJP member from Kamalanagar West constituency in April, he said.

Eleven members are required to form an executive body in the 20-member CADC.

Meanwhile, Central Mizoram Chakma Students' Union (CMCSU) expressed concern over the persistent political instability in the CADC and urged the members to prioritise the welfare of the Chakma people above personal interest and political power.

A statement issued by the organisation on Monday said that the continuous defections of political leaders from one party to another have created an environment of uncertainty and distrust, severely affecting societal progress and undermining the dignity of the council.

''Instead of focusing on the issues faced by our community, our leaders are preoccupied with political manoeuvring and power struggles. The CMCSU calls upon all political leaders to uphold the trust reposed in them by the electorates. We urge them to prioritise the welfare of the Chakma people above anything else and shun the culture of defection,'' the statement said.

The organisation also demanded accountability from the council members and urged them to restore the dignity and purposes of the council.

The CADC was formed under the sixth schedule of the country's Constitution in 1972 for the welfare of Chakma tribals of Mizoram.

Its headquarters is Chawngte or Kamalangar in Lawngtlai district.

The anti-defection laws do not apply to the council.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)