With less than a week left for the Mizoram Assembly polls, Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday cautioned voters of the state against the Mizo National Front (MNF) and Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) which, she said, are “gateways” for the BJP in the northeastern state.

Making an appeal to the people of Mizoram to vote for the Congress, she said it was the only party that can “guarantee” the development of the state.

In a video message ahead of the polls, the former Congress president said, “In Mizoram, the MNF and the ZPM say they are independent. Are they really? No, I believe they are not. They are gateways for the BJP into Mizoram. The Congress party will never ‘compromise’ with the BJP.”

Attacking the BJP, she said, “Today, democracy is under threat from the BJP and the RSS in Mizoram, in the northeast and across India. They value neither diversity, democracy, nor dialogue. They want to impose uniformity across India. In Parliament, the BJP brings the laws that weaken the rights of tribals to their lands and forests and does not even allow the Mizoram Member of Parliament to speak.”

Referring to the Manipur situation, Gandhi said, “In Manipur, the BJP has divided society. Six months have passed since violence broke out in the state, but there is no effort for reconciliation and peace. The prime minister is totally indifferent to the woes of the people there. He has not even deemed it fit to take a few hours off his schedule to visit Manipur.”

The former Congress president said only the Congress party can guarantee the development of Mizoram, empowerment of its people, and protection for the weak in society.

“Our track record in government shows that we deliver on our guarantees — as you have seen in Karnataka, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Himachal. But most of all, we stand for the protection of the Mizo way of life as enshrined in Article 371-G of the Constitution of India, which is the legacy of (former Prime Minister) Rajiv Gandhi. A vote for the Congress is for peace, for progress and prosperity in Mizoram. This is no time for experiments,” she added.

Recalling her visits to the state, Gandhi said, “Mizoram occupies a very special place in my heart. Your customs and culture, the beauty and richness of your land have left a deep impression on me. I have never forgotten your warmth and affection.”

Elections to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly will be held on November 7 and counting of votes will take place on December 3.

The upcoming polls are likely to witness a four-cornered contest among the ruling MNF, ZPM, Congress, and the BJP. The MNF is a constituent of the BJP-led North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).

In the 2018 assembly election, the MNF had won 26 seats, the ZPM eight, Congress five and the BJP one seat.