'Voluntary retirement' by politicians, clean campaigns, violence-free polls: Mizoram flaunts 'different politics'

Observers cited high literacy (over 91%) and role of the church bodies behind successful enforcement of such guidelines in Mizoram.

Guwahati: With just 40 seats, Assembly elections in Mizoram on November 7 might not have drawn as much attention as it did in Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana, the four other states where elections were simultaneously conducted.

But the elections in the tiny hilly northeastern state were marked by many things which are either absent or unusual in most other parts of the country. 

From "voluntary retirement" from electoral politics by two veteran politicians to having "clean campaigns", violence-free polling and return of the unspent campaign money to candidates, elections in Mizoram displayed many practices rare in contemporary politics.

Voluntary retirement

Two veteran politicians, former CM Lalthanhawla of Congress and Buddha Dhan Chakma of BJP, did not contest the elections after many years as they had taken "voluntary retirement" from electoral politics despite the two still being prominent faces in their parties.

In November 2021, about three years after Lalthanhawla-led Congress was unseated by the Mizo National Front (MNF), the former CM asked his party to allow him to take retirement as he wanted someone "young and active" to steer the party.

The party was reluctant as Lalthanhawla was still Congress' biggest face but had to give a nod as the former CM was unwilling to reconsider his decision.

The 85-year-old Lalthahawla, nine-time MLA and five-time CM, was defeated in the 2018 elections by Lalduhoma, the chief of Zoram People's Movement (ZPM). Laldhuoma took oath as the new CM on December 8, days after trouncing the MNF government. 

Buddha Dhan Chakma, aged about 50, who gave BJP its first MLA in the Christian-dominant Mizoram in 2018, in July this year similarly decided to "retire" former electoral politics. This despite the fact that the saffron party was eager to field him again in Tuchawng Assembly constituency.

"This is rare in politics as most leaders fight for tickets even after losing their support base," a poll observer in Aizawl said. 

Return of campaign money: 

The ZPM, the regional party, which stormed to power for the first time, set an example on November 27, when it returned the unspent campaign funds to K. Sapdanga, its candidate in Aizawl West III constituency.

"As we promised a new system to the people while seeking votes, we decided to start the new system from our party by returning the unspent money to the candidates," Lalduhoma had said.

Sapdanga, ZPM's working president won the elections and took oath as a minister in Lalduhoma's cabinet on December 8. 

Clean campaign

The church bodies and NGOs once again imposed the concept of clean campaign by prohibiting door-to-door campaigns for preventing use of money and muscle power, which has become a worry during elections in other states.

The church bodies signed agreements with all four parties, Congress, MNF, ZPM and BJP and enforced the "poll guidelines."

Instead of massive and colorful rallies which dot elections in other states, candidates sat on a common platform decided by the church bodies and talked about their promises for the voters.

"Our campaign seeks to protect the moral values even during the elections," Reverend Lalramliana Pachuau of Mizoram People's Forum, the church body, told DH ahead of the elections.

The campaigns and polling were completely peaceful and the state registered 80.43 per cent polling for the 40 Assembly seats on November 7.

Observers cited high literacy (over 91 per cent) and role of the church bodies behind successful enforcement of such guidelines in Mizoram. 

Clear mandate:

Since it attained statehood in 1987, Mizoram elections have given clear verdicts, barring twice in 1993 and 1998.

Although most exit polls predicted a hung Assembly after the polls this time, the verdict on December 4 kept Mizoram electorates' practice of clear mandate intact.

The clear verdicts, according to observers, have kept the unfair practices away, which are practised in the name of post-poll equations to form the government.

The ZPM won 27 out of the 40 seats while MNF bagged only 10 seats. The BJP and Congress won two and one seat, respectively.   

The swearing-in ceremony on December 8, too had a heartwarming moment when two former CMs, Lalthanhawla of Congress and Zoramthanga of MNF joined in, greeted the new CM Lalduhoma and even clicked photographs together.