1. Home
  2. Zoramthanga sworn in as Mizoram CM for third time

Zoramthanga sworn in as Mizoram CM for third time

Agencies
December 15, 2018

Aizawl, Dec 15: Mizo National Front (MNF) president Zoramthanga was Saturday sworn in as Mizoram's new chief minister, heading a 12-member ministry.

He was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor K Rajasekharan during a ceremony at the Raj Bhavan here.

The MNF came to power in the state winning 26 of the 40 seats in the state assembly uprooting the Congress from its last bastion in the Northeast.

This was Zoramthanga's third stint as chief minister of the northeastern state after having led the party's government in Mizoram in 1998 and 2003.

Along with Zoramthanga, 11 others -- five cabinet ministers and six ministers of state -- were also sworn in.

The five cabinet ministers are Tawnluia, R Lalthangliana, Lalchamliana, R Lalzirliana and Lalrinsanga.

Tawnluia has been designated as the deputy chief minister. He was the rehabilitation minister in the Laldenga government during 1987-88 and home minister for two terms in the Zoramthanga government in 1998 and 2003.

The six ministers of state are -- K Lalrinliana, Lalchhandama Ralte, Lalruatkima, K Beichhua, T J Lalnuntluanga and Robert Romawia Ralte.

Lalthangliana was a cabinet minister for two terms in Zoramthanga's previous government too.

Lalzirliana, who was inducted as a cabinet minister, was the home minister for two terms in the Congress government headed by Lal Thanhawla since 2008.

He had resigned from the Congress and was expelled from the party before the November polls.

After taking oath, Zoramthanga told reporters that the MNF has now no intention to leave the BJP-led NDA and the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) although it was under fire for joining hands with the Hindutva forces.

He said combating alcoholism and drug addiction would be among the top priorities of his government, besides taking up the development projects from day one.

"There is no intention at this juncture to leave the NDA and NEDA", he said.

Former chief minister Lal Thanhawla, besides former ministers, legislators and senior officials were present at the oath-taking ceremony.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Assam Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta and former Assam chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta were also present.

For the first time, the swearing-in ceremony of the government was marked by Bible reading, prayer and singing of a Christian gospel song.

Chairman of Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC), a conglomerate of 16 major churches in the state, Rev R Lalhmingthanga, read out from the Bible and offered prayers.

The chief minister and the newly-inducted ministers took oath of office and oath of secrecy in Mizo language for the first time in Mizoram's history.

Lalchamliana, former assembly speaker who was sworn in as a minister, came to Raj Bhavan dressed in a traditional attire.

Comments

Add new comment

About text formats
  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 28,2020

Kolkata, Jan 28: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday said she is ready for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of Citizenship Amendment Act but the Centre has to first withdraw the contentious law.

Banerjee said protesting against the decisions of the centre doesn't make opposition parties anti-national and iterated that she will not implement CAA, NRC or NPR in the state.

"It is good that the prime minister is ready for talks but the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) must be revoked first. They (Centre) did not call an all-party meeting before taking a decision on Kashmir and CAA.

"We are ready for talks but first withdraw this Citizenship Amendment Act," Banerjee, a staunch critic of the BJP, said addressing a protest programme against CAA through paintings.

The West Bengal assembly had on Monday passed a resolution against the CAA to become the fourth state after Kerala, Punjab and Rajasthan, to do so. The state assembly had on September 6, 2019, passed a resolution against the NRC.

Comments

Add new comment

About text formats
  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
May 8,2020

New Delhi, May 8: The Supreme Court on Friday suggested that states should consider indirect sale and home delivery of liquor as per its statute and law to avoid crowding at liquor shops amid the ongoing coronavirus-induced lockdown.

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan refused to pass any orders on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking clarity on the sale of liquor and to ensure social distancing while it is being sold in liquor shops during the lockdown.

"We will not pass any order but the states should consider indirect sale/home delivery of liquor to maintain social distancing norms and standards," Justice Ashok Bhushan said while disposing of the petition.

The PIL, filed by one Sai Deepak, sought directions for closure of liquor shops for failing to enforce social distancing, which is essential to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The petitioner told the apex court that he only wants that the life of common people is not affected because of crowding at liquor shops during COVID-19.

Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, another judge in the bench, said that discussion on home delivery is already going on.

The top court, after hearing the petition complaining about flouting of safety norms at liquor shops, observed that it cannot pass any orders to different states but they should consider online sale and home delivery of liquor.

Comments

Add new comment

About text formats
  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 6,2020

New York, Mar 6: A 23-year-old Indian with a student visa in the US has pleaded guilty to sexual enticement of a minor girl, prosecutors have said.

Sachin Aji Bhaskar faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

He pleaded guilty before Senior US District Judge William M Skretny to sexual enticement of a minor.

The charge carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison, a fine of USD 250,000 or both, US Attorney James P Kennedy said.

Prosecutors alleged that Bhaskar communicated by text and email with an 11-year-old girl for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.

Through those communications, Bhaskar enticed the victim to engage in a sexual activity with him in August, 2018, they said.

The sentencing in the case is scheduled for June 17.

Comments

Add new comment

About text formats
  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.