In a significant political development in Mizoram, the state's ruling party, the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), and the main opposition, the Mizo National Front (MNF), have joined hands to form the executive committee of the Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC). This unexpected alliance aims to bring stability to the council for its full five-year term.
A New Joint Legislature Party Emerges
The two parties have established a unified bloc named the 'Lairam Legislature Party' (LLP) to govern the council. According to a joint press statement issued on Monday, this move was agreed upon by eight MNF Members of District Council (MDCs) and six ZPM MDCs.
The statement confirmed that T Zakunga, the leader of the ZPM legislature party, has been elected as the leader of the new LLP. Consequently, Zakunga will take on the crucial role of Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the LADC's executive committee.
Power-Sharing and Development Pledges
The alliance has outlined a clear distribution of key positions. While the ZPM's leader assumes the CEM's chair, the MNF will hold the posts of Deputy CEM, Council Chairman, and three Executive Members (EMs). The ZPM will appoint five Executive Members from its ranks. The remaining official positions will be allocated by the LLP leader in consultation with the MNF.
The LLP has pledged to prioritize stability and development in the LADC for the next five years, with a special focus on the progress of 'Lairam' – the land of the Lai people. A key cultural commitment in the statement is the promotion of the 'Lai' dialect, which will be used in official proceedings alongside English wherever feasible.
Background of the Political Realignment
This alliance concludes days of intense negotiations involving the ZPM, MNF, and the Congress party. The political landscape was set after the elections to the 25-member LADC held on December 3. The results saw the MNF emerge as the single largest party with 8 seats, followed by Congress with 7 seats, and the ZPM with 6 seats. The BJP secured 2 seats, and independent candidates won the remaining 2 constituencies.
Initially, the MNF and Congress had a pre-poll alliance. However, Congress severed this tie after the results were declared on December 9 and entered into negotiations with the ZPM. During these talks, Congress proposed making its lone legislator, C Ngunlianchunga, the CEM.
The ZPM's political affairs committee, however, decided against forming an executive council with either Congress or MNF alone, which complicated the discussions. Ultimately, the ZPM legislature party chose to align with the MNF, which, after its split with Congress, agreed to the partnership.
There are now ongoing discussions about the possibility of the two BJP MDCs joining the ZPM-MNF alliance, though no formal confirmation has been made yet. This new coalition marks a dramatic shift in the political equations within the autonomous council, setting the stage for a unique experiment in cooperative governance in Mizoram.
