MNF chief Zoramthanga to be sworn in as Mizoram chief minister

Aizawl: Mizo National Front (MNF) chief Zoramthanga will be sworn in as Mizoram chief minister on Saturday after the newly elected legislators of the party elected him as leader of the legislature party.

The MNF secured 26 seats in the 40 seat assembly in the recently held elections. The party sources said Mr Zoramthanga is most likely to swear in as the chief minister on Saturday.Hours after gaining the sweeping victory, a delegation of 3 MNF leaders led by Mr Zoramthanga met the Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan and staked claim to form the government. 

We hope to form the government by December 15. The governor will decide the time and date of the swearing-in ceremony,? the MNF chief said.Mr  Zoramthanga today  made it clear he will not include the lone BJP legislator, Buddha Dhan Chakma, in his ministry despite MNF being BJP's partner in NDA and the North East Democratic Alliance (Neda).

Meanwhile, preparations are in full swing in the MNF for the formation of new government and swearing-in ceremony. Mr Zoramthanga kept himself busy holding a series of meetings with party leaders and other government officials.

As per the poll results, ruling Congress has been completely wiped out from the Northeast. The Mizoram was its only bastion in Northeast India.The Congress has won only 5 seats this time. The Grand Old Party had emerged victorious with 34 seats while MNF, which was in power from 1998 till 2008, had come a distant second with five seats.

Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla has already submitted his resignation to the Governor Since 1986, the government has shifted between the Congress and the MNF  each lasting 

not more than two terms. The MNF ruled Mizoram from 1998 to 2008 after an almost 10-year 

Congress reign. 

Led by former chief minister and former secessionist leader Zoramthanga, the MNF was 

founded by Laldenga in 1959 to protest against the inaction of the Indian government when 

a famine ravaged the Mizo areas of Assam. It staged a major uprising in 1966, followed by 

years of underground activities.  

In 1986, it signed the Mizo Accord with the Union government, renouncing secession and 

violence. The MNF won elections and formed state government in Mizoram twice, first under 

Laldenga (1986?88) and then under Zoramthanga (1998?2008). In 2008, it suffered a strong anti-incumbency wave and won only three  seats in the elections.(UNI)