Aizawl, Oct 10: Ahead of the Mizoram legislative assembly elections, 5 legislators submitted their resignations to the Speaker of the state assembly Lalrinliana Sailo on Tuesday which were accepted by Sailo itself, Assembly secretariat sources said.
The legislators – V.L. Zaithanzama, Aizawl West – III, Dr. Vanlalthlana, Aizawl North – II, Lalchhuanthanga, Aizawl South – II, C. Lalsawivunga, Aizawl South – I and Vanlalhlana, Aizawl North – I – tendered their resignations.
The five MLAs contested the 2018 state assembly elections as a group of independents as the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) was not yet registered with the Election Commission of India. Though they were accepted in the state assembly as members of the Zo People’s Movement legislature party, contesting the coming polls as ZPM, a registered party now, can invite disqualification.
ZPM leader and Chief Ministerial candidate of the party in 2018 Lalduhoma, however, was re-elected from his Serchhip constituency in 2021 by contesting as ZPM’s official candidate, after the ZPM was registered as a political party in 2019, and does not need to resign.
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With Tuesday’s resignation, 7 legislators have so far resigned ahead of the coming assembly polls to be held on November 7. Congress MLA K.T. Rokhaw, elected from the Palak assembly seat in 2018, resigned on October 3 as he is going to contest the coming polls in the same seat as the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) official nominee.
Former Minister of State Dr. K. Beichhua, who resigned as a minister on December 12, 2022 and was expelled from the party due to ‘anti-party activities’ also resigned as MLA on October 6 and joined the BJP on the same day. He is all set to contest from Siaha assembly seat, his home turf as the candidate of the saffron party.
The MNF, ZPM and Congress have decided to contest all the 40 assembly seats and have announced their candidates for all the seats. The BJP has yet to announce its official candidates except Beichhua.
