Ahead of Mizoram Assembly polls, five Mizoram independent MLAs resign

The MLAs originally belonged to the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) but contested as independents in 2018, as ZPM was not registered as a political party

Ahead of the November 7 Assembly polls, five independent Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) resigned from the Assembly to complete technical formalities for contesting the elections as nominees of the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM).

 

The five MLAs who submitted their resignations are VL Zaithanzama of Aizawl West-III constituency, Vanlalthlana of Aizawl North-II, Lalchhuanthanga of Aizawl South-II, C Lalsawivunga of Aizawl South-I, and Vanlalhlana of Aizawl North-I constituency.

 

The five assembly constituencies are now vacant with effect from Tuesday, according to Mizoram Assembly Commissioner and Secretary Lalhmahruaia Zote.

Also Read: Mizoram polls: Snubbed by MNF, Speaker Lalrinliana Sailo set to join BJP
 

Initially, these MLAs were aligned with the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) but contested as independents in the 2018 elections, as ZPM was not registered as a political party with the Election Commission of India (ECI) at that time.

 

Now that ZPM is officially registered as a political party, failure to resign from their positions as MLAs would have risked their disqualification. They are now eligible to file nominations on the ZPM ticket.

 

EastMojo reported that ZPM had issued a statement clarifying that the lawmakers had resigned from the Assembly to comply with legal requirements.

 

ZPM leader Lalduhoma, who also won in the 2018 Assembly polls as an independent candidate but later joined ZPM, was not among those who resigned. Lalduhoma was disqualified in November 2020 as an MLA from the 40-member House under anti-defection laws. In a by-election held in 2021, Lalduhoma was re-elected from Serchip, defeating Vanlalzawma of the Mizo National Front (MNF) by 3,310 votes. By then, ZPM had gained official status as a registered political party.

 

With these resignations, the total number of departures from the 40-member Assembly has risen to seven. Earlier, Congress lawmaker KT Rokhaw and former minister K Beichhua had submitted their resignations.

 

The term of the Legislative Assembly of Mizoram ends on December 17 of this year.

(With inputs from agencies)