Northeast Desk, 8th December: Lalduhoma, leader of the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM on Friday took oath as the new chief minister of Mizoram.
Administering the oath at the Raj Bhavan complex in Aizawl, Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati officiated the ceremony for Lalduhoma and his ministerial team.
Along with the chief minister, seven more ministers took the oath and were inducted into the ZPM-led government’s cabinet.
The ministers are K Sapdanga, Vanlalhlana, C lalsawivunga, Lalthasanga, Vanlalthlana, PC Vanlalruata and Lalrinpuii.
Lalduhoma, a former 1972 IPS officer, commenced his career in Goa and served as a security adviser to the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. His notable contributions include initiating negotiations for the Mizo peace accord during the 1980s.
Having been elected as an MP from Mizoram on a Congress ticket in 1984, Lalduhoma resigned as the state president of Congress in 1986 due to disagreements with former Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhwla. He played a pivotal role in establishing the Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP), which later merged with six other smaller political parties in 2018 to form the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM).
In a significant turn of events in 2020, Lalduhoma became the first MLA in the Mizoram assembly to face disqualification under the anti-defection law. Following Monday’s assembly polls, the ZPM emerged victorious, dethroning the incumbent Mizo National Front (MNF) with a substantial lead, securing 27 seats. Notably, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress trailed behind, securing two and one seat, respectively.