Aizawl: Former minister and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) member Nipuram Chakma on Tuesday staked claim to form the next executive committee in the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC), clearing the way for a BJP-led dispensation through an alliance with Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM).BJP and ZPM formed the Chakma Democratic Alliance Legislature Party (CDALP) at Kamalanagar, CADC headquarters, under the chairmanship of Durjya Dhan Chakma, district BJP president of CADC, on Tuesday.The CDALP elected Nirupam Chakma (BJP) as leader, Kali Kumar Tongchangya (ZPM) as deputy leader, Molin Kumar Chakma (BJP) as treasurer and Supreme Raj Chakma (ZPM) as secretary.Delson Notlia, state general secretary of BJP Mizoram unit, and Vanlalsiama Pachuau, general secretary of ZPM and in charge of CADC, attended as observers deputed by their respective party high commands, Durjya Dhan told TOI.The legislature party unanimously authorised its leader, Nirupam Chakma, MDC from 6- Kamalanagar Constituency, to stake claim to form the executive committee in the CADC. He submitted the letter of support to the governor through the secretary, district council and minority affairs department, Government of Mizoram.In the current CADC, the BJP has 10 MDCs and ZPM has 9, giving the alliance 19 members in the 20-member council. The lone opposition MDC is MNF’s Rasik Mohan Chakma, MLA.The development comes days before the expiry of the second six-month Governor’s Rule in the CADC on July 7.Successive defections and shifting majorities led to the suspension of the executive committee by governor Gen. Vijay Kumar Singh and the imposition of Governor’s Rule on July 7 last year for six months. The governor extended it for another six months on Jan 7 this year, citing continued instability due to frequent changes in political allegiance and the pending report of an inquiry commission into alleged corruption and maladministration.The prolonged political uncertainty has affected governance and the local economy, with irregular salary payments to council employees continuing for months and impacting shopkeepers, vegetable vendors, daily wage earners, landlords and educational institutions dependent on household incomes.
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