Mizoram BJP slams land policy

Aizawl: Mizoram BJP president J.V. Hluna on Friday slammed the Congress-led state government's New Land Use Policy (NLUP) as "election-oriented".

He said the Opposition parties had submitted a joint memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 3 complaining about the manner in which the programme was being implemented.

Hluna alleged that the state government recently allotted Rs 400 crore to 34 Congress legislators for selection of beneficiaries under NLUP but the Opposition MLAs were not allotted funds.

Accusing the Congress of nepotism, Hluna said it had misused the NLUP for vote bank politics.

"We do not oppose the NLUP programme but the manner in which the state government was implementing it, it looks like being used as a tool to buy votes," he said, adding they also met home minister Rajnath Singh last week over the NLUP.

State Congress president and chief minister Lal Thanhawla, however, said his government will continue to disburse assistance under the NLUP as it is one of the main contributing factors to economic growth in the state.

Addressing a political session at Congress Bhawan here on Friday, he said the Opposition was complaining against the NLUP simply because the programme had proved to be a great success.

Reacting to the chief minister's remarks over the coalition government in the Chakma Autonomous District Council, Hluna thanked Lal Thanhawla for his statement that "Buddhist (Chakmas) BJP are less harmful than the radical Hindu BJP".

"The chief minister said the Buddhist BJP are less harmful. If it is so, the Christian (Mizo) BJP would be even less harmful," he said.

Though the BJP formed a Congress-backed government in the council, Hluna reiterated that his party would not forge any pre-poll alliance.

PCC stance

Mizoram PCC president and chief minister Lal Thanhawla on Friday expressed confidence that his party would retain power in the next Assembly elections.

He said Opposition parties are not a big threat to the Congress.

"The MNF is helpless and desperate and the BJP is not a big rival. Other Opposition parties, including the Mizoram People's Movement, too are not threats either."

Lal Thanhawla also denied the MNF's allegation that the state government is constructing a liquor factory in the state.