The campaign for the elections to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly and 20 Assembly segments in Chhattisgarh came to a close on Sunday ahead of the polling on November 7. Political parties unofficially wound up their canvassing 24 hours ahead of schedule, observing a silent Sunday, both Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who skipped campaigning here, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge released a video appeal for the voters. Mr. Modi made a pitch for “marvellous Mizoram” while Mr. Kharge claimed that it was the Congress that brought “peace and stability” to the State. Meanwhile in Chhattisgarh, on the last day of campaigning for the 20 seats, Mr. Modi visited Maa Bamleshwari temple in Dongargarh in company with former Chief Minister Raman Singh whose fate among other candidates will also be sealed on November 7.
In his video address for Mizoram voters, Mr. Modi said the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre had been trying relentlessly to reduce the psychological and physical distance between New Delhi and the northeast since 2014.
“We have given priority to realising your dreams and fulfilling your needs. In the last nine years, I have visited the northeast 60 times and the BJP has brought Delhi to the doorsteps of the people of the region,” the Prime Minister said, underlining his party’s commitment to building a “marvellous Mizoram”.
‘Transformation by transportation’
“During one of my earlier visits to Mizoram, I had promised to work for transformation by transportation. Since then, a revolution has happened across sectors due to the work of the BJP-led government,” Mr. Modi said.
He cited the example of more than ₹8,500 crore invested in a broad gauge railway project connecting Bairabi near the Assam-Mizoram border to Sairang, about 18 km from State capital Aizawl; the increase in the length of national highways in the northeast from 11,000 km in 2014 to 16,000 km in 2022-23, and ₹500 crore sanctioned for urban development under the Aizawl Smart City project.
The Prime Minister said the NDA government had helped about 4.5 lakh people in Mizoram get free treatment across 100 hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat scheme and 1.7 lakh farmers received amount directly into their bank accounts under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.
“When infrastructure improves, it helps trade, talent, and tourism, brings investment, industry, and income growth, and creates opportunities for our young friends in Mizoram. The BJP is committed to creating a marvellous Mizoram. I am sure we will get your support and blessings to make it happen,” the Prime Minister said.
1986 Mizo accord
Mr. Kharge, meanwhile sought to remind the voters that Rajiv Gandhi had signed the historic Mizo accord in 1986 and secured statehood in 1987. “Successive Congress governments have ensured peace, stability, tribal culture, identity and secularism in Mizoram,” he said. The RSS, he said, was “hell-bent on destroying your culture, values, religion and the Mizo way of life. The Modi government wants to take your land and forests and gift that to their crony friends.”
In Chhattisgarh, the last day of campaigning for 20 seats, that include 12 seats of tribal belt of Bastar, saw the Congress releasing its manifesto and the Prime Minister making a temple run. Mr. Modi visited Dongargarh, a popular pilgrimage spot in Rajnandagon district. Former Chief Minister and BJP leader Raman Singh is contesting the Rajnandagon seat for a fourth time in a row. Mr. Modi also paid a visit to Acharya Shri 108 Vidhyasagar Ji Majharaj at Chandragiri Jain Mandir. From BJP president J.P. Nadda to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister Smriti Irani were deployed in the 20 poll-bound Assembly segments in the State.
Mr. Nadda addressed the “Vijay Sankalp” rally in the Masturi Assembly segment, reiterating his party’s pitch for a “double engine” government and hitting out at the ruling Congress, saying re-electing them would mean “guarantee of loot”. Ms. Irani participated in the party’s bike rally in Bastar and was also seen preparing tea for party workers in Kondagaon, Bastar, as the last-minute outreach to the voters. Addressing a public meeting in the Konta Assembly constituency, Mr. Adityanath blamed the Congress for roping in the Naxals to kill BJP worker Ratan Dubey.
Meanwhile, leaders of the ruling Congress too held public meetings at different places across Chhattisgarh. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel addressed a public meeting in Rajnandgaon, while PCC president Deepak Baij held such meetings at different locations in the Bastar region.
