Aizawl: The Mizo National Front (MNF) will defer its next organisational election until after the 2028 Mizoram Assembly polls, party president Zoramthanga said on Monday, while announcing a reshuffle of the party’s senior leadership.
Addressing party workers at a political session in Aizawl, Zoramthanga said the decision was consistent with the MNF’s practice of conducting organisational elections after Assembly elections rather than immediately before them.
Although the party’s organisational election is due next year, it will instead be held after the 2028 Assembly polls, he said.
Zoramthanga said the exercise would involve the election of new office-bearers and the appointment of leaders to key organisational positions, including general secretaries, secretaries and heads of the party’s frontal organisations.
As part of the leadership revamp, former deputy chief minister Tawnluia was appointed working president. Former home minister Lalchamliana and former MLA D. Thangliana were named vice presidents.
According to Zoramthanga, the appointments were made under powers granted to the party president by the MNF Constitution, with the objective of improving the organisation’s functioning and strengthening its structure.
The MNF chief also criticised the ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) and the Congress, accusing both parties of bypassing organisational elections while making appointments to important positions.
Zoramthanga also launched a strong attack on Chief Minister Lalduhoma over his recent comments concerning the Mizoram Peace Accord of 1986.
He alleged that attempts to undermine the significance of the historic accord had been made by political opponents in the past but were rejected by the people of Mizoram.
According to Zoramthanga, Lalduhoma had revived the issue in an effort to discredit the MNF, including by raising questions over the signatures on the agreement.
Zoramthanga maintained that the accord was signed on behalf of the Centre by then Union Home Secretary R.D. Pradhan, the Mizoram government by then Chief Secretary Lalkhama, and the MNF by its then leader Laldenga.
“The original document is still available,” Zoramthanga said, accusing Lalduhoma of making inaccurate claims about the agreement.
Recalling the accord’s anniversary celebrations in 2006, when he was chief minister, Zoramthanga said he had invited then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to attend the event in Aizawl. He said both leaders had responded to his invitations in writing.
Describing the 1986 accord as a landmark in Mizoram’s history, Zoramthanga said it bore the names of prominent leaders, including former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and Laldenga. He also described it as one of the most successful peace agreements and said it had played an important role in creating conditions for Mizoram’s development.
Zoramthanga further disputed Lalduhoma’s claim that he had been involved in every stage of the peace process, arguing that the chief minister was not a prominent participant in the negotiations surrounding the accord at the time.