Mizoram polls 2018: Congress MLA Hmingdailova Khiangte quits, fourth to resign

Congress legislator Hmingdailova Khiangte resigned his seat in the Mizoram assembly on Monday, becoming the fourth member of the ruling party to quit ahead of the November 28 election. He handed his resignation to Speaker Hiphei at the Speaker’s official residence, according to assembly secretariat sources.

Khiangte said he would explain his reasons and announce his next step on Tuesday. After his departure, the Congress has 30 members in the 40-seat house, the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) has 6, and four seats are vacant. Of the north-eastern states, only Mizoram is still governed by the Congress.

A string of exits

• R Lalzirliana: the home minister and number two in Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla’s government quit the ministry on September 14 in protest at the refusal to create a separate Saitual district including his Tawi seat. On September 17 the state Congress removed him as its vice-president and expelled him; he quit the party on October 12 and moved to the MNF on October 15.
• Lalrinliana Sailo: the former health minister resigned from the assembly on October 3, also giving up his AICC membership, his post as state Congress general secretary and his primary membership. He later joined the MNF.
• Buddha Dhan Chakma: the former fisheries minister resigned his seat on October 16 and joined the BJP the next day in the presence of party president Amit Shah.

The opposition

The MNF was founded in 1959 by Mizo leader Laldenga and is led by former chief minister Zoramthanga. It belongs to the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).

What happened next

In the 2018 election the Mizo National Front won 26 seats, the Zoram People’s Movement 8 and the Congress 5. Zoramthanga became Chief Minister.

See also: Elections

Originally published on 23 October 2018. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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