Radiance News Service
– Shabana Javed
Dec. 5: Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) has succeeded in winning the people’s mandate, winning 27 seats in the 40-member assembly in the results of the Assembly elections declared on Monday, paving the way for the youngest party in the northeastern state to form the government. The Mizo National Front (MNF) won 10 seats, while BJP bagged two and Congress finished with one seat.
Lalduhoma, ZPM’s Chief Ministerial candidate, has secured a clear victory in the Serchhip constituency. Meanwhile, state Health Minister and MNF candidate R Lalthangliana faced defeat against ZPM’s Jeje Lalpekhlua in the South Tuipui seat. Incumbent CM Zoramthanga has tendered his resignation.
This is a big victory for ZPM, which has emerged on the political landscape of the state by advancing local issues. Six years ago, ZPM was formed after it won six out of 40 seats in the 2017 assembly election. Formally registered as an official party in 2019, ZPM is an alliance of six parties in Mizoram – Mizoram People’s Conference, Zoram Nationalist Party, Zoram Exodus Movement, Zoram Decentralisation Front, Zoram Reformation Front and Mizoram People’s Party. These six parties have now merged into a single entity.
ZPM was founded by MLA and former MP Lalduhoma, who is also the Chief Ministerial candidate for the party in the current elections. Former member of the Congress party, and formerly part of the security service of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Lalduhoma told the media on Monday, “We will stake claim tomorrow. It’s not just me who will form the government. We will sit with the elders and discuss…This is the change people of Mizoram wanted. There are many reasons for this. People were tired of the corruption and dynastic politics.”
ZPM believes in the idea of expanding secularism and protecting regional minorities in Mizoram. It has also launched multiple allegations of corruption against current CM Zoramthanga. One of the main priorities of the ZPM leaders is to re-impose the ban on liquor in the state.
Mizoram’s political landscape
Mizoram’s political landscape had been dominated by the Congress and the MNF since it attained full statehood in 1987. Earlier, in 1972, Mizoram was carved out of Assam, initially as a Union Territory. Zoramthanga of the MNF became Chief Minister after the 1998 Assembly polls, ending Congress’s 10-year rule. The MNF governed for a decade until Congress won in 2008 and 2013. Returning to power in 2018, MNF aimed for another victory this year but couldn’t.
The Congress had long been led by five-time Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who first got the top post in 1984. But in 2023, it handed over the baton to Lalsawta, a three-time MLA and former finance minister who headed the state unit. Lalsawta was also the Congress candidate against the MNF’s Zoramthanga in the current assembly election.
ZPM leader Lalduhoma, a former IPS officer, who has strengthened its foothold in politics, is all set to form the government. Now it is to be seen how successful ZPM is going to be in fulfilling its promises to the people.
