08-12-2023 : On Friday, Lalduhoma, the leader of the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), is poised to assume the role of Chief Minister in Mizoram. The swearing-in ceremony, where Lalduhoma and other ZPM leaders will take the oath of office, is scheduled to take place at the Raj Bhavan complex in Aizawl, contingent upon clear weather conditions. However, officials have contingency plans to relocate the event to the annexe building of the assembly in case of inclement weather, as the state capital experienced heavy rain on Thursday.
Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Lalduhoma and the incoming ministers during the ceremony. The ZPM Legislature Party had previously elected Lalduhoma as its leader on Tuesday, with K Sapdanga chosen as the deputy leader.
In preparation for the formation of the council of ministers, Lalduhoma met with the Val Upa Council, an advisory body of the ZPM, on Wednesday. Mizoram, with its 40-member assembly, can accommodate a cabinet of 12 ministers, including the Chief Minister.
The ZPM, established as a political party in 2019, achieved a significant victory in the assembly elections by securing 27 seats, a notable increase from its 2018 tally of 8 seats. This triumph resulted in the displacement of the Mizo National Front (MNF), led by the outgoing Chief Minister Zoramthanga, which had won 26 seats in the 2018 polls but managed to secure only 10 seats in the current elections. The ZPM’s ascendancy to power marks a notable political shift in Mizoram’s landscape.