Vanlalhmuaka, the BJP's candidate for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Mizoram, called upon the people of the State to change their perception of the party on March 25.
He blamed rival parties in Mizoram for projecting BJP as a "communal" and "anti-Christian" party.
The BJP State unit president said that Mizoram should also "learn ways to collaborate with the NDA government at the Centre like other north-eastern States to usher in more development".
The BJP on Sunday named Mr. Vanlalhmuaka as its candidate for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the State. Addressing a gathering at the party office in Aizwal, he exuded confidence that the NDA will retain power at the Centre.
"The people of Mizoram should change their perception of the BJP... Mizoram should learn ways to collaborate with the NDA government like other north-eastern States to usher in development," the 52-year-old politician said.
He claimed that other parts of the North East, particularly Meghalaya, Nagaland and the hill areas of Manipur, which are dominated by Christians, work together with the NDA and are on the path of development.
He blamed rival parties in the State for tarnishing the BJP's image by projecting it as "communal" and "anti-Christian", thus "confusing the voters about the saffron party". He emphasised that Mizoram needs to have an MP who is aligned with the ruling party at the Centre to usher in more development in the State.
Mr. Vanlalhmuaka joined the BJP in 2014, and became the party's State president in January 2020. He had unsuccessfully contested the Mizoram assembly polls in 2008 as an Independent and on BJP tickets in 2018 and 2023.
So far, the BJP has unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha polls in Mizoram on two occasions — 1998 and 2019.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP nominee Nirupam Chakma came third after Mizo National Front's C Lalrosanga and Zoram People's Movement (ZPM)-Congress joint candidate Lalnghinglova Hmar.
The party's vote share in the 2019 polls was 5.75% against the MNF's 44.89% and ZPM-Congress combine's 43.26%.
Polling for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Mizoram will be held on April 19. Over 8.6 lakh electors, including 4.41 lakh female voters, are eligible to exercise their franchise.
Ruling ZPM has fielded political debutant Richard Vanlalhmangaiha (46) while the MNF has named Mizoram's sitting Rajya Sabha member K Vanlalvena (54) as its candidate.
The Congress has nominated retired Mizoram Police Service (MPS) officer and former State home secretary Lalbiakzama (64) and the People's Conference (PC) has fielded well-known Mizo singer and lyricist Rita Malsawmi (48). Both are greenhorns in politics.
