Mizoram BJP's Zangura named Lai autonomous district council chief amid political turmoil

Mizoram BJP leader N. Zangura has been appointed as the Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC) in south Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district. The appointment was made by Governor Gen. Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd.).

A notification issued by state's District Council Secretary Zodinpuii said that Zangura will have to face a vote of confidence to prove his majority in the House within 10 days of his appointment as the council's CEM.

Zangura replaced Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) leader V Zirsanga.

The two-month-old executive committee headed by Zirsanga collapsed after Zangura and BN Thangpuia quit the ZPM and joined the BJP recently. 

On April 24, the BJP and MNF forged an alliance and formed the United Democratic Alliance Legislature Party (UDALP). State BJP president Vanlalhmuaka said that the BJP-MNF combine now has 13 members and the lone Congress member of the district counciol, C Lalhmuanthanga, is giving external support to the UDALP. 

The ZPM currently has 11 members in the LADC. The UDALP elected Zangura as its leader and staked claim to form the next executive committee in the 25-member council. 

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The LADC also has four nominated members. In the last LADC polls held in December 2020, the MNF secured a majority by winning 20 out of 25 seats, while BJP and Congress bagged one each. 

Three independent candidates were also elected. Since then there has been a change of guard at least four times with the last being the ZPM-led executive committee headed by Zirsanga, which was inducted on February 27 this year. 

The LADC election is due at the end of this year. 

Meanwhile, Lawngtlai-based Lai Students' Association (LSA) has urged the Governor to dissolve the council and initiate steps for early elections. 

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor, the LSA alleged that constant jostling for power among members has crippled administration and delayed development across the Council's jurisdiction. 

The LADC is one of the three autonomous district councils in the southern part of Mizoram, which was created in 1972 for the Lai tribal people under the Sixth Schedule. It covers Lawngtlai and Sangau sub-divisions of Lawngtlai district. It exercises power over specifically allocated subjects. At present it looks after more than 30 departments.