Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday appealed to the people of Mizoram to elect her party in the November 7 assembly polls, saying this is no time for experiments and a vote for the Congress is for peace, progress and prosperity in the northeastern state.

In a video message, she made a personal appeal especially to the youth and the women, saying the Congress is the hand of experience and security.

She said the Congress is the only party that can guarantee the development of Mizoram, empowerment for its people, and protection for the weakest in society and recalled how the party has fulfilled its promises made in other states including Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh.

During her more than three-minute video appeal, Gandhi also recalled her personal bond with the people of Mizoram. She mentioned the visits she made with her husband and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi to Mizoram.

"You all know I am sure that Mizoram occupies a very special place in my heart. I visited many times over the years. Your customs and culture, the beauty and richness of your land have left a deep impression on me. Above all I have never forgotten your warmth and affection.

"I remember with great fondness particularly the visit with my family right after the signing of the historic Mizo Peace Accord on June 30, 1986. The Accord is celebrated every year as Remna Ni," she said.

Launching a frontal attack on the BJP and the RSS, she claimed that today, "democracy is under threat from the BJP and RSS in Mizoram, in the northeast and across India".

"They value neither diversity, nor democracy, nor dialogue. They want to impose uniformity across India. In Parliament, the BJP forces laws which weaken the rights of tribals to their lands and forests and does not even allow the Mizoram MP to speak.

"In Manipur, the BJP has divided society bitterly. Six months of suffering have gone by, but there is no effort towards peace and reconciliation. The prime minister is completely silent and has not seen it fit to visit Manipur for even a few hours," she alleged.

In Mizoram, she said, the MNF and the ZPM say they are independent, "but are they really? No, I believe they are not. They are gateways for the BJP into Mizoram. The Congress party will never compromise with the BJP."

Claiming that only the Congress can guarantee the development of Mizoram, empowerment for its people, and protection for the weakest in society, the former Congress chief said, "Our track record in government shows that we deliver on our guarantees - as you have seen in Karnataka, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Himachal. But most of all, we stand for the protection of the Mizo way of life as enshrined in Article 371-G of the Constitution of India, which is the legacy of Rajiv Gandhi."

"That is why I make a personal appeal, especially to the youth of Mizoram, to the women of Mizoram. This is no time for experiments. Please do vote for the Congress party, the hand of experience and the hand of security.

"A vote for the Congress party is for peace, for progress and prosperity in Mizoram," Gandhi said.

The Congress shared the video message of Gandhi on its X handle and said, "She asserts this is not the time to experiment with BJP proxies ZPM and MNF. Mizoram must vote for peace in the region and to protect Article 371G of our Constitution." Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also said on X that "Sonia Gandhi recalls her special bond with Mizoram making a personal appeal to youth and women to vote for INC as this is no time for experiments with BJP proxies - ZPM and MNF, to ensure peace and protect Article 371G of the Constitution." Counting of votes will be done on December 3.

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