Will enact anti-defection law in Lai council if comes to power: MNF

Mizoram’s main opposition party, Mizo National Front (MNF) on Thursday said it will enact an anti-defection law if the party is voted to power in the upcoming elections to the Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC) slated for December 3.
The three autonomous district councils in southern Mizoram — Lai, Mara and Chakma — have witnessed frequent change in leadership due to the absence of an anti-defection law.
Campaigning for party candidates in the LADC polls, MNF vice-present Lalchhandama Ralte also attacked the ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), accusing it of not keeping the promises made before the elections.
Ralte expressed confidence that the party will win the LADC elections.
The MNF, if voted to power in the council polls, will enact an anti-defection law to prevent elected members from defecting to other parties and to uphold the reputation of the Lai people, he said.
The MNF leader said the ZPM was voted to power in the 2023 assembly polls, wining 27 out of 40 seats after promising that it will introduce a new system of governance by bringing changes and improving farmers’ conditions.
“While we were looking at the party (ZPM) with high expectations, it began to expose its true nature like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The ZPM government did not act according to its promises,” the leader of the opposition said.
He said that barely two years after it assumed power in December 2023, the ZPM suffered a debacle in Sinlung Hills Council (SHC) polls and again lost the Dampa assembly seat in a by-election.
The MNF candidate defeated the ZPM nominee in Dampa. “The ZPM was formed by parties of different backgrounds. Its members began to resign their membership and more members are to follow. The ZPM is like a group of broken pots, which can hold no water,” he claimed.
He also blamed the ZPM government for allegedly undermining the rights of district councils regarding land ownership and transfer by adopting the Forest Conservation Amendment Act.
Polling for the 25-member LADC will be held on December 3 and votes will be counted on December 9.
A total of 80 candidates, including 11 independents, are in the fray. The ZPM fielded candidates in all 25 seats, while the MNF 20 nominees, Congress 14 and BJP 10.
In the last LADC polls held on December 4, 2020, the MNF, then the ruling party in the state, won 20 out of 25 seats, while the BJP and Congress bagged one each while three independent candidates were also elected.
The term of the present council will expire on December 18.
The LADC was created in 1972 under the Sixth Schedule for the Lai tribal people. It also has four nominated members.
Its headquarters is Lawngtlai, Mizoram’s southernmost district, which shares borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh.