Aizawl: After days of speculation, the coalition formed by traditional rivals the BJP and the Congress was today invited to govern the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) in Mizoram, officials said.
State Governor Lt Gen Nirbhay Sharma invited the United Legislature Party (ULP) to form the executive committee that will rule the CADC, an autonomous council for ethnic Chakma people living in South-Western Mizoram bordering Bangladesh and Myanmar.
A notification issued by the District Council Affairs department said Sharma also accepted the election of Santi Jiban Chakma of the BJP as leader of the ULP and also his prayer for appointment as Chief Executive Member (CEM).
The Chief Executive Member is the administrative head of the CADC, formed under the sixth schedule of the Constitution on April 29, 1972.
The date for swearing-in of the CEM and others is yet to be decided, the officials said.
Election to 20-member CADC on April 20 had thrown a fractured mandate. While the MNF bagged the highest 8 seats, the Congress won 6 and the BJP 5. Election to one seat was stayed by the Gauhati High Court.
The MNF had staked claim to form the executive committee and sought a floor test to prove majority. The ULP’s Santi Jiban Chakma had also done so.
State Sports Minister Zodintluanga of the Congress had said on April 25 that a post-poll alliance, the ULP, was forged after the two parties’ local leaders reached an agreement, and this would not have any bearing in Delhi or in the coming Assembly election in the northeastern state.
BJP sources had, at that time, said the party may take action against its elected CADC members for forging the alliance with the Congress.
Later, the leadership agreed to the tie-up after the six Congress members decided to join the ULP as individual members leaving their party identity behind.
The MNF had also been optimistic of forming a coalition with the BJP, but rejected the BJP’s demand of electing its party leader to occupy the top post of the CADC.
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