Aizawl: Members of Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) belonging to Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) met governor Hari Babu Kambhampati at the Raj Bhavan here Monday and staked claim to form the next council.
The 10 members of district council (MDCs) were led by ZPM legislature party leader, Mohan Chakma, and deputy leader Doymoy Chakma. The governor is likely to make a decision soon, sources in the ZPM said.
Mohan Chakma handed over the letter staking claim to form the council to the governor. The MDCs were accompanied to the Raj Bhavan by vice-president of ZPM, VL Zaithanzama, and adviser to CM, Lalmuanpuia Punte, who is also the party-in-charge of minority affairs.
There has been a strong contest for the post of chief executive member (CEM), especially between Mohan Chakma and Doymoy Chakma, as the latter was ZPM legislature party leader before five MNF MDCs joined the ZPM. The ZPM general headquarters in Aizawl finally settled the matter last week by appointing Mohan Chakma as the leader and Doymoy Chakma as deputy leader of the legislature party.
The ZPM, which has 10 MDCs in the 20-member CADC has become the largest political party in the council after five Mizo National Front (MNF) MDCs joined the party last week.
Change in the CADC comes following the ouster of the MNF govt led by CEM Rasik Mohan Chakma last Wednesday in a no-trust move in the session of the council.
The current break-up of the CADC is – ZPM 10, BJP 9 and MNF 1. The MNF, which formed the govt, in the 11th CADC by bagging 10 seats in the May 9, 2023 elections and after getting the support of four MDCs following the announcement of results, now has only one MDC – Rasik Mohan Chakma.
The BJP, which won five seats during last year's CADC election, but lost 4 MDCs to MNF, now has nine MDCs after eight MDCs joined the saffron brigade.
Due to defections from the MNF members earlier, the ZPM, which did not win any seat in last year's council polls now has 10 MDCs. This came after five other MNF MDCs joined the party on Wednesday.