Mizoram: Cong to meet Wednesday to elect party chief

Aizawl: The Congress Legislature Party would hold a meeting on Wednesday to formally elect party chief Lal Thanhawla as the CLP leader, paving the way for his becoming the chief minister for the second consecutive term. [caption id=“attachment_1278807” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla. IBNLive[/caption] Thanhawla was likely to form the new Congress government in Mizoram earliest by Friday, sources in the Chief Minister’s Office said today. The five-day national mourning as a mark of respect to South African leader Nelson Mandela was one of the reasons for the delayed swearing-in ceremony, the sources said. Lal Thanhawla, all set for a fifth term, won from both Serchhip and Hrangturzo seats, he contested.He was elected to the Assembly for a record ninth time since 1978. Congress won a two-thirds majority in the November 25 Assembly election winning 33 of 39 seats and improved upon its 2008 tally by one seat. Repoll for Lawngtlai East seat would be held tomorrow and counting would be done on Thursday. The opposition Mizoram Democratic Alliance (MDA), a pre-poll alliance formed by the main opposition Mizo National Front (MNF), Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC) and the Maraland Democratic Front (MDF) won six seats (MNF 5 and MPC one). PTI