PARADIGM SHIFT

Zoram People's Movement opens a new path in Mizoram's political landscape

- JAVED PARVESH

IT TOOK LALDUHOMA three and a half decades of meticulous planning and execution to carve out an alternative path in Mizoram’s political landscape, breaking the duopoly of the Mizo National Front (MNF) and the Congress. The former IPS officer’s perseverance finally paid, as his party, the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), won 27 of 40 assembly seats in the state.

How appealing Lalduhoma’s vision of a new Mizoram to the people was evident in the results, especially in the urban areas—his party won all 10 seats in the state capital Aizawl and all four seats in Lunglei, the second-largest city. He also might have ended the political career of Zoramthanga, the three-time chief minister and an iconic figure in Mizo politics, who resigned as president of the MNF after its defeat. The MNF, however, rejected the resignation.

Interestingly, Congress stalwart Lal Thanhawla, a five-time chief minister, retired from active politics after his defeat to Lalduhoma in the 2018 assembly election.

The turning of the tide was not unforeseen. When THE WEEK met Lalduhoma during the campaign, he was confident of getting a majority. The ZPM’s campaign starkly contrasted the conventional strategies of its rivals. It refrained from offering freebies and its foot soldiers worked systematically in the message-driven campaign.