Zoramthanga takes oath as new Chief Minister of Mizoram

Mizo National Front (MNF) supremo Zoramthanga was on Saturday sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Mizoram, where the party decimated the Congress in Assembly elections 2018. Zoramthanga was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor K Rajasekharan at a ceremony in Aizawl. The MNF president took the oath in Mizo language.

With the thumping victory in the Assembly elections, Zoramthanga has bounced back to power after 10 years. In the elections for the 40-member Assembly, Zoramthanga’s MNF won 26 seats while the Congress party was reduced to just five seats.

A day after the results were declared, Zoramthanga, along with top leaders of the MNF, had met Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan at the Raj Bhavan in Aizawl and staked claim to form the government.

No party in the state has so far been able to form a government thrice in a row since 1987 when Mizoram became a full-fledged state.

Congress leader Lal Thanhawla suffered defeats from both the seats he contested, including his home turf Serchip. He also lost from Champai South constituency.

The MNF, previously an underground outfit, had signed the Mizo Accord in 1986 with the central government renouncing secession and violence and its leader Laldenga became the chief minister. The MNF led by Zoramthanga, a former underground, had won the assembly elections in 1998 and 2003. It is now a constituent of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), formed by the BJP.

The MNF bagged 37.6 per cent votes as against 30.2 per cent secured by the Congress.

The MNF, at a meeting of its newly-elected legislators after the declaration of Assembly election results, had unanimously elected Zoramthanga as the leader of the MNF legislature party.