External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar launched the BJP’s Lok Sabha elections manifesto in Mizoram capital Aizawl on April 11. The EAM highlighted particularly ten areas of development including generating job, enhancing education sector, forming start ups, tourism sector among others.
Commencing the poll campaign in Mizoram, Jaishankar said, “It is a great pleasure to be here. I would like to ask Mizo brothers to support BJP in the upcoming election. We’ve released vision document. The vision document does for the State what PM Modi’s vision is for the country.”
https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1778303590609604983
Jaishankar, while interacting with the media in Mizoram after launching the BJP Manifesto for Mizoram, outlined the following key areas of development as per the party’s vision document:
1. Health: Emphasising the importance of healthcare, Jaishankar stressed the need to intensify the Ayushman Bharat Programme, establish Jan Aushadhi Kendra for access to low-cost medicines in each block, upgrade Zoram Medical College, and enhance services in district hospitals.
2. Education: He proposed revamping schools, providing free books, bags, and raincoats to students, and establishing central universities and more engineering colleges to broaden educational opportunities.
3. Start-up Culture: He proposed encouragement of State-level startups and training in modern technologies like drones.
4. Welfare of Farmers: Measures include extending Kisan Credit Cards to all farmers, developing cold storage facilities, promoting organic farming and its certification, and identifying key agricultural strengths like areca nut, squash, and ginger.
5. One District One Product: Jaishankar highlighted the success of this initiative to promote local products and envisioned recognisation of local products and growth in Mizoram as well as across the country.
6. Connectivity with Myanmar: Sittwe Port Project is an integral component of the more extensive Kaladan Multi-Modal Transport Network, which Bharat is developing alongside Myanmar. The overarching goal of this multi-modal network is to connect Eastern and Northeastern parts of Bharat via Myanmar. Mentioning the project’s importance, Jaishankar stated the priority will be for fast completion to enhance Bharat’s connectivity with Myanmar.
7. Border Infrastructure: The NDA Government’s priority will be to create more border huts with Myanmar and Bangladesh to facilitate trade.
8. Tourism: The Centre recognises the tourism potential in all States of Bharat, including Mizoram. It is evident from the fact that Modi Government held G20 meetings in each State, including Mizoram where one G20 business meeting was organised. So, the government will tap the tourism potential by developing and promoting archaeological sites like Vangchhia.
9. Investments in Sports Facilities: The government’s priority will be to push for more investments to enhancing sports facilities, leveraging Mizoram’s strong record in national-level contributions.
10. Airhostess Training Centre: The government will establish an airhostess training centre in Aizawl to meet the growing demand for employment opportunities in the airline sector. Today, under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, Bharat has the fastest expansion of airlines anywhere in the world. There are 1,000 new planes which airlines of Bharat have ordered and that itself will be the sector to provide new employment opportunities.
Jaishankar highlighted BJP’s governance record and asserted on the need to elect a representative from Mizoram to strengthen PM Modi’s hands. He urged leveraging the foundation laid in the last decade for the State’s development and the importance of youth issues in the upcoming elections.
Scheduled to go to the polls on April 19, Mizoram holds significance as one of the initial phases of the election process. The State boasts a substantial electorate of 861,277 eligible voters, comprising 414,777 male electors, 441,520 female electors, and 4,980 service electors. Aizawl district leads in voter numbers, with 288,268 voters, while Hnahthial district holds the lowest count at 16,257 voters.
Among the assembly constituencies, 36-Tuichawng in Lawngtlai District records the highest number of electors at 36,493, while 34-Thorang in Lunglei district has the lowest count with 15,152 voters. The gender ratio, as of 2024, stands at 1,064, with Mamit district being the sole area where male electors outnumber female electors, with a ratio of 982, comprising 32,842 males and 32,259 females.
Moreover, there are 4,758 senior voters aged above 85 years who will be eligible for home voting. The number of Persons with Disability or PwD electors listed in the Electoral Roll is 3,399, with 1,877 being male and 1,522 female.
The State has a total of 1,276 polling stations, consisting of 525 urban and 751 rural stations, marking a rise of 101 polling stations in comparison to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Among these, Part or Polling Station 13/24-Zemabawk VIII has the highest number of electors with 1,483 voters, while Part/Polling Station 34/24-Thehlep has the lowest count with only 25 voters.
Security measures have been remarkably tightened, with nearly 15 Companies of Central Armed Police Forces or CAPF along with over 1,000 State Police personnel deployed across the State to ensure a secure electoral process.
