Aizawl: Former cadre of Bru Liberation Front of Mizoram (BLFM) decided to boycott the polls to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly to be held on December 2, leaders of the disbanded outfit said.
BLFM leadership said they should not exercise their franchise as the state government and Centre were yet to fulfil the provisions of agreement made when they had laid down arms in 2006.
A leader of the former militant group said they were supposed to receive Rs 3,000 as interim relief and another Rs 20,000 each for resettlement package.
"We had held talks with the representatives of the Union Home Ministry and Mizoram government, but the promises are yet to be fulfilled even after the passage of November 15 dateline," he said.
Meanwhile, a top state government official told PTI that the Union Home Ministry is yet to release the fund meant for rehabilitation and resettlement of former Bru rebels and the state government is not in a position to fulfil the demands of the former Bru militants.
Following directions from Election Commission of India (ECI), Bru refugees, now lodged in six relief camps in neighbouring Tripura would exercise franchise on 26 and 27 November, through postal ballots and under the watchful eyes of the representatives of the Commission and conducted by the Mizoram election officials at the camps.
Lalhmingthanga, state Joint Chief Electoral Officer said he received the directions from ECI and preparations have been taken up to ensure that all the eligible Bru voters in Tripura relief camps could exercise their franchise.
