Aizawl: The Governor’s decision to dissolve the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) on Monday, citing persistent political instability, has ignited a fierce political debate in Mizoram, with the ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) urging a review and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) firmly backing the move. The imposition of Governor’s Rule came after a period of significant turmoil, including the recent ousting of the BJP-led executive committee.
The ZPM, which had gained a commanding majority of 16 members in the 20-member CADC after a wave of defections from the BJP in June, had staked claim to form the next executive committee. However, Home Minister K Sapdanga on Tuesday criticised Governor Vijay Kumar Singh’s decision, stating that it was made using his discretionary power and ignoring the advice of the council of ministers, which had recommended allowing the ZPM to form the government. Sapdanga termed the Governor’s action a “breach of democratic principles”.
Conversely, the BJP has vociferously defended the Governor’s intervention. Addressing a press conference on July 10, BJP Minority Morcha national secretary Delson Notlia asserted that the Governor’s decision was “wholeheartedly welcomed by the people of the Chakma council”. He dismissed the ZPM’s objections as “very unfortunate” and politically motivated, highlighting the CADC’s long history of instability. Notlia pointed out that the council had seen its leadership change ten times between 2013 and 2023, and twice more since 2023, causing immense suffering to the populace due to administrative paralysis, alleged financial mismanagement, illegal recruitments, and corruption. He also claimed that CADC employees had not received their salaries for five months.
Notlia further revealed that several prominent Chakma organisations had appealed to both the Governor and the Chief Minister in June, urging the suspension of the council and an inquiry into the alleged financial irregularities. These appeals, he stated, motivated Governor Singh to impose Governor’s rule for a period of six months on July 7. He underscored that Mizoram’s political history had no precedent of the council of ministers challenging a Governor’s decision concerning Autonomous District Councils.
The recent upheaval in the CADC saw Molin Kumar Chakma of the BJP sworn in as Chief Executive Member on February 4, marking the BJP’s first executive body in the council since its 1972 inception. However, just four months later, 12 BJP members, including then-council chairman Lakkhan Chakma, resigned from the party and defected to the ZPM, leading to the no-confidence motion on June 16 that removed Molin Kumar Chakma from power. The CADC, established in 1972 under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, exists for the welfare of the Chakma tribals in Mizoram, and comprises 20 elected and 4 nominated members.
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