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Lalduhoma to take oath as Mizoram’s next CM on Dec 8
Seventy-four-year-old IPS officer-turned politician, Lalduhoma, steered his party, the Zoram Peoples’ Movement, to a landslide win in the just-concluded Mizoram Assembly elections
President of the Zoram Peoples’ Movement (ZPM), Lalduhoma, who steered his party to a landslide win in the just-concluded Mizoram Assembly elections, is all set to become the northeastern state’s next chief minister.
The opposition party bagged 27 of the 40 seats in the state assembly pushing the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), which secured 10 seats, to a distant second spot. The other seats were bagged by the Bharatiya Janata Party (2) and the Congress (2).
“There will be a meeting of all newly elected MLAs at the party president’s residence in Aizawl on Tuesday evening where he will be declared as the ZPM candidate for the chief minister’s post,” said newly elected ZPM MLA Lalthansanga who defeated MNF president and chief minister Zoramthanga.
Lalduhoma, a 74-year-old Indian Police Service (IPS) officer-turned politician, had already been endorsed last year by the ZPM’s elderly council, called Val Upa Council, as the party’s chief ministerial candidate for this election.
“We are most likely to stake claim to form the next government on Wednesday. Swearing in of the new chief minister and his cabinet will be held on December 8,” said Lalthansanga.
According to people familiar with the matter in the ZPM, the swearing in would most likely be held at the Raj Bhawan though many in the party had wanted it to be held at a public place so that more people could take part.
Speaking to HT on Monday, Lalduhoma had stated that his government’s three prime focus would be welfare of farmers, fiscal reforms and strict measures to prevent corruption.
“To support farmers of the state, our government will procure ginger, turmeric, chilly and broomsticks at a minimum pre-determined price. The finances of the state are in shambles. We will constitute an expert committee and put fiscal reforms in place,” he said.
“Our government will adopt a policy of zero tolerance for corruption and will grant permission to CBI to act on it. Other focus areas of the new government will be decided after the swearing in takes place,” Lalduhoma added.
In another development, a day after his party’s loss, former chief minister Zoramthanga resigned on Tuesday as the president of the MNF—a post which he had been holding since 1990.
The 79-year-old submitted his resignation letter to former deputy chief minister Tawnluia, who is the senior vice-president of the party. On Tuesday, the MNF named Lalchhamdama Ralte as the party’s legislature party leader in the new assembly.
