Lal Thanhawla was sworn in as the Mizoram Chief Minister by Governor Vakkom Purushothaman at the Raj Bhawan in Aizawl on Saturday. Eleven Congress legislators were also sworn in as ministers. Mr. Thanhawla has become Chief Minister for a consecutive term for the second time and a record fifth term in his political career.
Among the Council of Ministers sworn in, R. Lalzirliana, R. Romawia, Lalsawta, H. Rohluna, Zodintluanga, P.C. Lalthanliana and John Rotluangliana were sworn in as Cabinet Ministers while Lal Thanzara, Lalrinmawia Ralte, C. Ngunlianchunga and B.D. Chakma were sworn in as Ministers of State.
Mr. Thanhawala led the Congress party to a landslide victory with the ruling party winning 34 seats in the 40-member Mizoram Assembly, two seats more than the 2008 Assembly polls. The opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) won five seats and its ally Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC) won one seat.
Mr. Thanhawla became Chief Minister for the first time on May 5, 1984 and quit on August 20, 1986 to pave the way for Laldenga to head the first MNF government after the historic Mizo Accord was signed, which brought the curtains down on the two decade-long insurgency by MNF under Mr. Laldenga’s leadership. In 1989, he became Chief Minister for the second term when Congress returned to power in fresh elections held after the expiry of President’s Rule that was imposed when the Laldenga government fell.
His third term as Chief Minister was from 1993 to 1998 when the Congress teamed up with the erstwhile Mizoram Janata Dal to capture power. In 2008, he led the Congress to a landslide victory to return to power after a gap of ten years, during which the State was ruled by the Zoramhanga-led MNF government.
Former Chief Minister and MNF president Mr. Zoramthanga, AICC leader Eduardo Falerio, Assam Health and Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Lok Sabha MP C.L. Ruala were among those present at the swearing-in ceremony.
