Mizoram's MNF pledges anti-defection law if voted to power in Lai Autonomous District Council

Mizoram’s main opposition party, the Mizo National Front (MNF), on Thursday announced that it will enact an anti-defection law if it secures power in the upcoming elections to the Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC) scheduled for December 3. 

The commitment comes amid longstanding political instability across the three autonomous district councils—Lai, Mara and Chakma—where frequent shifts in leadership have occurred due to the absence of such a law.

Campaigning for party candidates in the LADC polls, MNF vice-president Lalchhandama Ralte criticised the ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), accusing it of failing to fulfil promises made ahead of the 2023 assembly elections. Ralte said the MNF is confident of winning the council polls and vowed that an anti-defection law would be enacted to prevent elected members from switching parties, which he said would help restore political integrity and safeguard the reputation of the Lai people.

Ralte alleged that the ZPM, despite coming to power with 27 seats in the 40-member assembly after promising improved governance and better conditions for farmers, had “revealed its true nature like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” He pointed to the party’s defeats in the Sinlung Hills Council elections and the Dampa assembly bypoll as signs of eroding public trust.

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Claiming that the ZPM is structurally unstable, he said the party was formed by groups of diverse backgrounds, which has resulted in members resigning, with more likely to follow. “The ZPM is like a group of broken pots, which can hold no water,” he remarked. He also accused the state government of undermining the rights of district councils, especially on land ownership and transfer, by adopting the Forest Conservation Amendment Act.

Polling for the 25-member LADC will take place on December 3, with counting scheduled for December 9. A total of 80 candidates, including 11 independents, are contesting. The ZPM has fielded candidates in all 25 seats, while the MNF has put forward 20 nominees, the Congress 14, and the BJP 10.

In the previous LADC elections held on December 4, 2020, the MNF—then the ruling party in Mizoram—won a sweeping victory with 20 out of 25 seats. The BJP and Congress secured one seat each, while three independents were elected. The current council’s term ends on December 18.

The Lai Autonomous District Council, established in 1972 under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, represents the Lai tribal community and includes four nominated members. Its headquarters is located in Lawngtlai, Mizoram’s southernmost district, which shares borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh.