By Nirendra Dev
New Delhi/Aizawl, Nov 19 (UNI) There is "no hostile relationship" between AICC and Mizoram Congress, the state unit party spokesman Lallianchhunga has said here trying to dismiss argument that the state leaders have 'rejected' the list of candidates announced in Delhi.
"There is no hostile relationship between AICC and Mizoram state Congress," Mr Lallianchhunga told UNI.
"We are working together, we are working for the best interest of the party. AICC also knows that," he said.
He maintained there has been always a "functional autonomy" for Mizoram Congress vis-a-vis the Congress high command and thus often when tickets are given by the AICC, it is only the state leadership which finally had to endorse and allot the tickets to party candidates.
The Mizoram Congress spokesman was answering questions regarding former state Assembly Speaker Mr Hiphei "rejecting" the Congress ticket after his name appeared in the list released by AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik in Delhi in October.
Mizoram Congress leaders, however, said Mr Hiphei is "not the official candidate" of the Congress party.
Mr Hiphei on November 5 quit as Speaker and state legislator from Palak constituency and in a fast paced developments joined BJP. Prior to his formal joining the saffron party, Mr Hiphei had camped in Guwahati and Delhi for few days and met important leaders like Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Himanta Biswa Sarma and worked out his political move.
Mr Lallianchhunga maintained that contrary to what Mr Hiphei later said and blamed Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who is also Mizoram state Congress president, it was Mr Hiphei's personal decision to part ways from Congress.
"Had Mr Hiphei had faith in AICC list, he should have stuck to the party and contest elections on Congress ticket. But the fact of the matter is at the local level, the party workers did not want him and so he did not get adequate support in the recommendation panel," the spokesman said.
Moreover, Mr Lallianchhunga claimed the resignation by former Speaker Hiphei and at least other senior Congress ministers and legislators will not have any electoral impact on the prospect of Congress party in the ensuing polls.
"This I say, because their political move was purely based on personal vested interest and opportunism," he maintained.
Four senior Congress leaders, including former Home Minister, quit Congress and either joined MNF or BJP in last two months.
Giving a major political jolt to the ruling Congress, Mizoram Speaker and party veteran Hiphei on November 5 resigned from his constitutional post and gave up his membership in the state legislature. He formally dissociated himself from the Congress party and joined BJP.
To a question, he also has said, in political sense there is "no difference" between the Congress and the BJP but he felt hurt and anguished with the Congress Mizoram chief and Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla.
"....he (Chief Minister) did not show any sympathy or respect to me. Ticket is not important. I would have got it from high command, but the issues closer to my people and my respect is important," Mr Hiphei has alleged.
According to sources close to Mr Hiphei, a group of party workers had met Chief Minister and Mizoram Congress president Lal Thanhawla in October to sort out the differences between the two senior leaders.
However, Lal Thanhawla was "not interested" and told them that several Congress leaders have quit Congress, and if Mr Hiphei was not happy, he could do so also.
Mizoram Congress spokesman, however, denied that the veteran leader Hiphei was shown any disrespect by the party.
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