Expelled Mizoram Cong leader gives up assembly membership

Aizawl: Former Mizoram home minister R. Lalzirliana Friday submitted his resignation as a legislator as part of his intention to join opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) in the poll-bound North-Eastern state.

He submitted his resignation letter to state assembly secretary S.R. Zokhuma in the absence of Speaker Hiphei, who is on a tour to southern Mizoram. Mizoram will go to vote on November 28. Politically it would be interested to watch if Congress manages to hold power in the only state under its rule in the North-East at present.

Lalzirliana, second-in-command in the Congress government headed by chief minister Lal Thanhawla and also vice president `of the state PCC had resigned from the council of ministers on September 14 after he was served a show cause notice by the party disciplinary action committee on September six.

He was expelled from the party for an indefinite period on September 17 after which he announced his intention to join the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF).He told PTI that he resigned after consulting constitutional experts and that he would soon join the MNF and contest from Tawi seat, his home turf as a nominee of the MNF. Lalzirliana, in his resignation letter to Lal Thanhawla, which was accepted on September 17, said that he resigned due to the government's refusal to implement the creation of Saitual district comprising his Tawi constituency during the last ten years. Lalzirliana was soon followed by another ruling Congress legislator Lalrinliana Sailo, who also resigned as the Congress government refused to implement the Khawzawl district created along with Saitual district by the MNF regime in 1998.

Sailo would be contesting from Chalfilh constituency in Aizawl district as MNF candidate.