Following are the probable CM candidates of Mizoram:
Pu Zoramthanga
Since Mizoram was carved out, Pu Zuramthanga is the fifth Chief Minister of Mizoram. As a veteran politician in the state, his remarkable achievement is that he has never lost in any elections and has returned to the Mizoram Legislative Assembly from Champhai constituency for four consecutive terms.
His political career began when he joined the underground movement in 1966 and was made Secretary of Run Bung Area, a responsibility which he held for three years. When in 1969, all the Mizo National Front (MNF) cadres went down to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), the then president of MNF, Pu Laldenga engaged him as his Secretary. He held this job for seven long years.
During his tenure as Secretary to Pu Laldenga, he became very close to him and Laldenga always took him along in all his important engagements. He even accompanied him during his long trip to China. The Cabinet of the underground ministry sent him to pave way for peace negotiations with the Central government in 1971.
While in Islamabad, Laldenga sent him in yet another mission to foreign countries to seek channels for continuing the peace negotiations. Along with Pu Tawnluia, presently Home Minister of Mizoram, he went abroad many times. After strucking many peace talks with the Indian delegates in countries like Thailand, Afghanistan, Iran, Switzerland, Germany and in Rome city, he brought Pu Laldenga and party out to Geneva in 1975.
In 1987, when Mizo National Front (MNF) government was formed under the leadership of Pu Laldenga, he looked after Finance and Education departments and continued to be the trusted lieutenant of Laldenga. In 1990, when Laldenga died, he become the President of the Mizo National Front and then the Chief Minister of the state.
Lalthanhawla
Lalthanhawla is a towering personality in Mizoram’s politics. He was Chief Minister for two consecutive terms between 1989 and 1998 before being ousted by Zoramthanga of the MNF. Lalthanhawla now leads the Congress party here to gain back his reign and dislodge the MNF from power.
He has a firm belief that people have yet not forgotten his gesture which paved the way for peace in North-Eastern state of 900,000 people.
He had to step down mid-way during his first tenure as Chief Minister in 1987 to make way for the Mizo National Front in the wake of an accord between the former and the Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to end 20 years of insurgency.
On the flip side, one blot in his career is that he has been accused of cheating the state exchequer in collusion with some businessmen. However, the veteran politician mentions that “It is an attempt by his rivals to stop him from fighting these olls thereby stopping Congress from coming back into power”.
He has filed in his papers from his home town Serchip and is determined to unseat the present incumbent CM in the State.
Brig. T. Sailo
Brig. T. Sailo, the leader of Mizo People’s Conference (MPC) has filed in his papers from Aizwal West constituency. He is wooing electorates by citing that his party along with Mizo National Front has revived all the schemes for infrastructural development that he introduced during his tenure as the Chief Minister of the state.
His entry into politics started with social work. He had no such intentions to join politics, but actually wanted to work with a lady who was active in social work among poor and downtrodden in Bihar.
His political innings began at that time when insurgency was at its peak in Mizoram. He helped people by working to develop a better understanding between the Army and them at the time when reports of Army atrocities were coming in from every nook and corner of the state. By doing so, his Human Rights Committee turned into a political outfit. In elections, he and his party members contested and he emerged as a powerful politician in the state.
Compiled by Shruti Saxena
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