ZPM growing in both rural & urban areas: Laltanpuia

Aizawl, Aug 22 (PTI) Mizoram’s main opposition party Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) on Monday claimed that the party’s wave is growing not only in the urban areas, but also in rural villages.

The five-year old party, which won eight seats in the 2018 assembly election, now has six members in the 40-member state assembly, after it failed to retain two seats in the bypolls.

“We continue to grow constantly in towns. At the same time, our wave is also growing in rural areas faster than that in the towns. People are urging us to go at a much faster pace,” ZPM treasurer C Laltanpuia said while addressing a function at the party office in Aizawl.

He said that the ZPM party would implement its policies in real and not on paper if it comes to power.

The ZPM was formed by several minor parties as an “electoral alliance” in 2017.

The alliance was converted into a single political party and obtained party registration in July 2019, seven months after it contested the assembly polls.

In the November 2018 Assembly election, the party won eight seats with its chief ministerial candidate Lalduhoma winning two seats – Serchhip and Aizawl West-I. Later, Lalduhoma vacated the Aizawl West I to retain Serchhip.

The party lost Aizawl West-I seat in the bypoll held in April 2019 and also failed to retain Tuirial seat in the bypoll held in October last year which was necessitated by the demise of incumbent ZPM legislator Andrew H Thangliana.

The ZPM has 6 members in the 40-member state assembly, while the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) has 28, Congress-5 and BJP 1.