In a significant political upheaval, the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) in Mizoram has been plunged into uncertainty after 13 members of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) switched allegiance to opposition parties.
This development follows the ousting of Chief Executive Member (CEM) Rasik Mohan Chakma via a no-confidence motion, leaving no single party with a majority in the 20-member council.
According to BJP Chakma district president Durjya Dhan Chakma, eight MNF council members joined the BJP at a function held at the council’s headquarters in Kamalanagar on Thursday.
Meanwhile, five other MNF members, including Council Chairman Mohan Chakma, defected to the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) immediately after Rasik Mohan’s removal, ZPM member Kali Kumar Tongchangya confirmed.
Before the defections, the MNF held 14 seats, ZPM had five, and BJP one.
With the latest shifts, the BJP now has nine members, ZPM holds 10, and the MNF is left with just one.
The council requires 11 members to form an executive body, but the current composition has left no party with a majority.
Both the BJP and ZPM have expressed confidence in their ability to form a governing coalition soon.
The CADC, established in 1972 under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to represent the Chakma tribe in Mizoram, has witnessed political turbulence since its last elections on May 9.
The polls resulted in a fractured mandate, with the MNF winning 10 seats, the BJP securing five, and Congress taking four.
Subsequently, the MNF formed an executive body after gaining the support of BJP and Congress members, with Rasik Mohan Chakma at the helm.
However, recent defections have upended the council’s balance of power, leaving its future leadership uncertain.
This political stalemate underscores the complexities of coalition politics within autonomous councils and the shifting allegiances that continue to shape Mizoram’s political landscape.
