Aizawl, May 3 (PTI) The BJP on Tuesday filed a complaint against a Mizoram minister over an alleged violation of the model code of conduct as campaigning for the Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC) polls came to an end.
The 25-member council for Mara people in south Mizoram’s Siaha district will go to the polls on May 5.
Sources in the BJP said that the party lodged a complaint with a District Election Officer against state Supply Minister K. Lalrinliana for allegedly distributing huge quantities of rice bags to MNF party workers at Theiva village in MADC areas.
The rice bags were transported from neighbouring village Tipa by a mini truck on Tuesday, the sources claimed.
“The action of the minister is an outright violation of the model of conduct and misuse of power. We urge you to take disciplinary action against the minister,” the Siaha district unit of the saffron party said in its complaint.
The minister could not be contacted for clarification despite repeated attempts.
On Monday, Siaha deputy commissioner Lalsangliana, who is the Returning Officer, had served a show-cause notice to Mizo National Front (MNF) vice president of Siaha district over an alleged violation of the model code of conduct following a complaint filed by the BJP.
The party had earlier also lodged a complaint against Sports Minister Robert Romawia Royte’s son for allegedly giving Rs 10 lakh for the construction of a playground in a village within the poll-bound MADC.
Meanwhile, BJP national ST Morcha secretary in charge of Mizoram, Utarra Debbarma, said that the party has a chance of increasing its tally from 1 to 30 members in the state assembly in the next assembly polls due in 2023.
Addressing a meeting in Aizawl on Tuesday, Debbarma claimed that the saffron party is non-communal and the assumption that it is anti-Christian is wrong and baseless.
“The BJP tally may increase from 1 to 30 members in the next assembly polls in 2023 if party workers work hard for the poor and spread awareness on the nature and objective of the party,” she said.
Debbarma also alleged that the Mizoram government was not implementing many Central schemes in the state.
Counting of votes for the MADC polls will be undertaken on May 9.
At least 106 presiding officers and 106 polling officers have been deployed for the council polls.
A total of 42,342 persons, including 21,969 female voters, are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 85 candidates.
In the 25-member council, the BJP now has 17 members, MNF (6) and Congress (2).
MADC was constituted in 1972 for the Mara people living in the state.
Besides the MADC, there are two ADCs in Mizoram- Lal Autonomous District Council (LADC) and Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) all located in the southern part of the state.