After practically 5 a long time because the state Congress chief, former Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla has mentioned that he can be retiring from the submit to make means for somebody “youthful and extra energetic”. The five-time chief minister and the face of the Congress within the hill state because the early Seventies has additionally introduced that he won’t be contesting the Meeting elections in 2023.
“This shouldn’t be misconstrued as me resigning from politics. Politics is in my blood and I can by no means shrug it off. However I do suppose it’s excessive time that I make means for somebody youthful. I’m a grand outdated man now,” mentioned Thanhawla, 83, talking to The Indian Categorical over the cellphone from Aizawl.
Thanhawla, who first led the Congress to victory in Mizoram in 1984, was appointed the president of the Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) in 1973 at age 34. He has held the submit since.
He mentioned that he can be flying to Delhi to satisfy Congress President Sonia Gandhi about his resignation. “I used to be scheduled to journey on Tuesday however have now postponed it due to the worsening air high quality situation within the capital,” he mentioned.
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PremiumThanhawla was a part of the underground Mizo insurgency within the Nineteen Sixties after which he was arrested. He entered lively politics, becoming a member of the Congress get together, after his launch from jail in 1967.
After that, he went on to turn out to be chief minister of the state 5 instances, between the years 1984 and 2018. He served 4 full phrases on the high submit. When the Mizo Peace Accord was signed between the Centre and the Mizo Nationwide Entrance, Thanhawla stepped other than the highest submit to make means for insurgent-turned-politician Laldenga.
The current Congress vice-president and former finance minister Lalsawta is more likely to substitute Thanhawla because the get together head, information company PTI mentioned, quoting sources.
Mizoram was the final remaining Congress bastion within the northeast, till it misplaced to the MNF within the October 2018 Meeting elections.
Requested what he considered the way forward for Congress in Mizoram and generally, Thanhawla mentioned the get together was practically a century outdated and that ups and downs had been regular. “I may be set to resign from the submit however I’d by no means go away the Congress. I used to be born a Congress man and I’ll die a Congress man,” he mentioned.
