Zoramthanga and Lal Thanhawla.
Credit: PTI Photo
Mizoram is set to go for polls on November 7 and the results will be announced on December 3. As the state gets closer to the date of 2023 Assembly election, we take a look at the youngest and the oldest CM that have served the state.
Since 1972, Mizoram has had five chief ministers from four political parties; C Chhunga was the first to hold the position. With five terms, Lal Thanhawla of the Indian National Congress holds the record for the longest tenure with more than 21 years in power. As of December 15, 2018, Zoramthanga of the Mizo National Front is the current occupant.
Zoramthanga is Mizoram's fifth chief minister, he had previously held the position from 1998 to 2008.
At 79 years old, Zoramthanga is the oldest Chief Minister in both the state and India at present. He was born on July 13, 1944. On December 3, 1998, he began his tenure, at the age of 54. He served as the Champhai constituency's representative from 1998 to 2008 and represents Aizawl East I constituency in the Mizoram Legislative Assembly.
Zoramthanga's party lost the 2008 assembly elections to the Indian National Congress.
Lal Thanhawla was the youngest Chief Minister to have served the state to date, as he became the CM at the age of 46. Born on May 19, 1938, he was the longest-serving chief minister of Mizoram and is a member of the Indian National Congress party. He is 85 years old now.
The tenure of Thanhawla began on May 5, 1984. He held the position for two years. Afterwards, he occupied the position from 1989 to 1998 at the age of 51; and then from 2008 to 2018.
From 1973 till 2021, Thanhawla presided over the Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee. He successfully ran nine times for the Mizoram Legislative Assembly from his electoral seats of Serchhip and Hrangturzo.