Show-cause notice to Mizoram Opp leader Lalduhoma

Ten MNF legislators had earlier submitted a petition to the State Assembly Speaker, Lalrinliana Sailo, on Tuesday, asking him to disqualify Lalduhoma. Two more MLAs from the party submitted the same petition on Thursday.

In the petition, the legislators alleged that Lalduhoma, though an Independent candidate in the election to the State Assembly in November 2018, had been acting and working as the top leader of the ZPM, a registered political party.

Lalduhoma was the Chief Ministerial candidate of the Zoram People�s Movement (MVM) party in the 2018 State Assembly elections, but contested, along with all other candidates of the party, as Independents as the party was not yet recognised.

The MNF legislators alleged that Lalduhoma violated para 2 (2) of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution by his political activities and should be disqualified.

The petition referred to the case of Jagjit Singh vs State of Haryana, in which Singh was disqualified in 2006.

The State Assembly speaker had earlier threatened to disqualify Lalduhoma and six other legislators as they had formed the ZPM legislature party as soon as they were sworn in after the ZPM was registered by the poll panel.

Sailo then held that the group of Independents cannot form a legislature party of a registered political party, prompting the latter to change the name from Zoram People�s Movement to Zo People�s Movement.

Meanwhile, Lalduhoma said that he had suspected this after the last Assembly session and he is ready for disqualification.

�Chief Minister Zoramthanga has been hell bent on removing me from the State Assembly,� he alleged. He said that the Assembly Speaker would not have any choice but to carry out the ruling party�s decision and strong pressure from the Chief Minister and disqualify him.

Lalduhoma maintained that he did not violate any law by participating in the ZPM activities. He added that he would approach the court if he is disqualified.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and Mizoram Pradesh Congress chief Lal Thanhawla came out in defence of Lalduhoma.

�The move of MNF legislators to have Serchhip MLA Lalduhoma disqualified is a disrespect to the people who elected him,� Lal Thanhawla tweeted on Thursday.

Significantly, Lal Thanhawla was defeated by Lalduhoma in the Serchhip constituency in the 2018 elections. Lalduhoma was also elected from Aizawl West-I which he later vacated.