Zoramthanga

Zoramthanga (born 13 July 1944) was the fifth Chief Minister of Mizoram, India, from December 1998 to December 2008, for two consecutive terms. He was second in command to Laldenga during the secession movement of Mizo National Front (MNF), and became the successor as party leader, after MNF was a recognised political party. He joined the Mizoram Legislative Assembly as Minister of Finance and Education in 1987. His party, the Mizo National Front, lost the 2008 Assembly elections to the Indian National Congress. He contested from both North & South Champhai and lost in both constituencies. He tendered his resignation to Governor MM Lakhera on 8 December 2008 and left office 3 days later. He has cited incumbency as reason for the loss of his party.

Zoramthanga was born to Darphunga and Vanhnuaichhingi to be the second youngest child of their eight children. He has five brothers and three sisters. He was born on 13 July 1944 at Samthang village.

Zoramthanga joined primary school in the year 1950. In 1954, he joined middle school at South Khawbung and finished at the school in 1956 after he passed standard six. In 1957, he went on to join Champhai Gandhi Memorial High School as a student of standard seven. He finished his high school at Champhai from Samthang village in 1960. He finished his college from D.M. College, Manipur.

When the Mizo Freedom Movement started in 1966, Zoramthanga joined the underground movement and moved to the jungle. He was offered the position of a secretary for Run Bung Area, a responsibility he held for three years. In 1969, all the MNF cadres went down to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). The President, Pu Laldenga, engaged him as his Secretary. He held this job for seven years. In 1979, He was given the responsibility of the Vice President. He was arrested by the army and held at the Assam Rifles Quarter Guard during the insurgency, due to which he has been actively pushing for the re-location of Assam Rifles outside the city of Aizawl. He was made a Minister in the interim government of the state. When the Mizo National Front formed the government in 1987 under the leadership of Pu Laldenga, he looked after Finance and Education departments. In 1990, when Pu Laldenga died, he became the President of the Mizo National Front. When the assembly elections were held at the end of 1998, he led his party to victory and became the fifth Chief Minister of Mizoram, he was re-elected in 2003 but lost both Champhai seats in 2008 Assembly elections. He and his party again faced heavy defeat in 2013 election. He resides at Ramhlun Venglai, Aizawl, the capital of his state.