Mizoram saw a significant change in its political landscape this year as it elected a non-Congress, non-Mizo National Front (MNF) government for the first time in 36 years.
Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), a party formed just six years ago and led by former IPS officer Lalduhoma, defeated the Zoramthanga-led MNF government by winning 27 of the 40 assembly seats.
The ZPM, which promised a government for the people, has ended bipolar politics after Congress and MNF ruled Mizoram alternately.
The northeastern state saw a new chief minister in Lalduhoma after Congress’ Lal Thanhawla and MNF’s Zoramthanga held the top post by turns since 1987.
In the November 7 elections, the MNF got just 10 seats, down from 26 in the 2018 assembly elections.
The rise of ZPM as a force was felt in March when it won all 11 seats in the Lunglei Municipal Council elections.
The influx of refugees from Myanmar due to armed conflict in the neighboring country and the influx of internally displaced people from violence-hit Manipur also dominated Mizoram politics in 2023.
The capture of several military bases in Myanmar by the militia group People’s Defense Force in November forced more than 5,000 people from Chin state to seek refuge in Mizoram. The raids on military camps also forced 104 Myanmar soldiers to flee to the northeastern Indian state. They were sent back by the Indian Army last month.
Currently, over 31,000 people from Chin state have taken shelter in different parts of Mizoram, which shares a 510-km-long international border with Myanmar.
Ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities in neighboring Manipur since May has also led to an increase in the influx of refugees into the state. Mizoram was already burdened with refugees from Myanmar. Since then, more than 12,000 IDPs from the neighboring state have taken refuge.
In July, thousands of people took to the streets in the state capital Aizawl to show solidarity with the Kuki-Zo people in Manipur. Several ministers and MLAs, including then Chief Minister Zoramthanga, also participated in the protest.
Mizoram witnessed an influx of over 1,000 people from Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) after the neighboring country’s army launched a military offensive against the Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA), an ethnic rebel group fighting for an independent state. .
The border dispute with the neighboring state of Assam continued to dominate Mizoram politics during the year.
As per the agreement reached during border talks in November last year, Mizoram in January formed a study group and staked its claim on Assam.
While the state government claimed 62 villages in the disputed area, Assam said most of the villages were inhabited by non-Mizo people.
Mizoram also hosted the B20 meeting of the G20 summit in March. Around 80 delegates from India and 17 countries participated in the event organized in Aizawl.
This year the state assembly adopted a resolution opposing any attempt to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state.
