AIZAWL:
As Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga turned 77 on July 13, warm greetings poured in from all corners of the country.
Party workers, cabinet ministers, state CMs alongside Union Ministers wished the minister the best of health, happiness and prosperity on his special day. Taking to Twitter, the Chief Ministers of all Northeastern states also wished Zoramthanga good health.
Born in 1944 in a small village of Samthang near the Burma (Myanmar) border in Champhai district to Darphunga, Zoramthanga completed his high school from Govt Gandhi Memorial School in Champhai and later graduated in English from the DM College in Imphal.
Soon after he graduated in English literature from DM College in Imphal, Zoramthanga joined the Mizoram independence movement led by Mizo National Front (MNF), then an underground outfit led by Laldenga, in 1968.
He held the second highest post, vice president in later years, and became the right-hand man of Laldenga.
After Mizoram got statehood in 1987 subsequent to the signing of peace accord the previous year, Zoramthanga contested the first state assembly elections and won from Champhai constituency and was made the finance minister in the short-lived Laldenga government.
Since then he has retained the seat until the 2008 elections when he was defeated by Congress newcomer TT Zothansanga.
He succeeded Laldenga after the latter died in 1990 and became the MNF president. He managed to retain the top post in a controversial party election in 1997. He became the Chief Minister for two consecutive terms from 2003 to 2013.
He failed to bring his party back to power in 2013 assembly polls and he too lost his home constituency. However, the party made a comeback to power in the 2018 elections, registering a thumping victory against the incumbent Congress party. He became the chief minister for the third term.