Aizawl: Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma was appointed president of the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) on Monday as the ruling party announced its new office-bearers for the 2026-28 tenure.

Lalduhoma succeeds Lalliansawta, who has been inactive for some time due to health concerns.

ZPM Val Upa Council (VUC) Secretary Thangchungnunga announced the appointment at a function held at the party office to formally introduce the new leadership.

Former State Assembly Speaker and current state planning board vice chairman Kenneth Chawngliana was appointed senior vice-president, while Hrangturzo constituency MLA and Chief Minister’s political adviser Lalmuanpuia Punte was named vice-president.

Lunglei West constituency MLA T. Lalhlimpuia was appointed treasurer of the party.

Addressing party workers after being appointed president, Lalduhoma said the ruling ZPM will test the new arrangement of having the chief minister also serve as the party president and revert to an alternative system if it does not work.

He said that the party had earlier felt that holding both the Chief Minister and party president posts simultaneously was not desirable and had followed such a system for several years.

However, the party’s top leaders have now decided that the new arrangement (combining the two positions) would be more beneficial, he said.

“We will test the new system. If it does not work, we will adopt a better one,” Lalduhoma said.

He said political parties need to change with changing circumstances and cited several instances of shifts in political and social thinking over the years.

“The world keeps changing, and the only thing that does not change is change itself,” Lalduhoma said, adding that the ZPM too would continue to evolve with the times.

He credited the party’s former leaders with guiding the ZPM through its 10-year journey and bringing it to power in Mizoram.

Lalduhoma also called for unity and discipline within the party, saying those seeking positions for personal gain or attempting to undermine party leaders should not be entrusted with senior posts.

“As long as the party remains united, outsiders will not be able to destroy us,” he said.

He also said the ZPM had previously decided its Chief Ministerial candidate before the election, which, according to him, helped avoid possible disputes over the House leadership after the election.

Recently, the ZPM had decided not to hold an organisational election and instead entrusted the VUC, the highest decision-making unit of the party, with appointing new leaders as some of the incumbent office-bearers, including incumbent president Lalliansawta, could not remain active because of health concerns.

The party also curtailed the tenure of the existing office-bearers, which was scheduled to end next year.

In April, incumbent senior vice-president W Chhuanawma had sought leave from his party post, citing persistent health concerns.

The recent meeting of the ZPM executive committee had also approved a proposal allowing the chief minister to simultaneously hold an elected office-bearer post in the party.

The meeting amended Clause 1 of Article 21 of the party constitution, which had earlier barred ministers from holding elected office-bearer positions in the organisation.

With the amendment, Lalduhoma can now hold an elected post in the party while continuing as head of the government.

However, the relaxation does not apply to other ministers, who will continue to be barred from holding elected office-bearer posts under the existing rules.