Mizoram’s main opposition party Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) on Wednesday defended its party leader and MLA Lalduhoma, whose disqualification has been sought by ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) MLAs for allegedly breaching the constitution of the country.
The party also asked the MNF MLAs and state government to withdraw their move to eliminate its leader from the state legislative assembly.
A statement issued by ZPM said that strong opposition parties used to play a crucial role in the governance and showing the right way to the ruling party.
ALSO READ Mizoram: MNF legislators demand disqualification of independent MLA Lalduhoma
The existence of a strong opposition party in the democratic system has been one of the most sought after systems at the Centre, it said.
Defending Lalduhoma, the statement said that the leader has been playing a crucial role in putting a check on the state government as opposition leader.
“It is unfortunate that the ruling MLAs and state government is attempting to eliminate a good leader from the state legislature by accusing him of trying to put a shame on the government instead of treasuring his efforts to put a check and balance on the government,” the statement said.
Alleging that the ruling MLAs were insulting the people by trying to disqualify Lalduhoma, the ZPM said the ruling MLAs and the state government should stop their move to disqualify the leader.
It said that when the MNF contested as independent and swept the 1987 assembly polls, no one raised an issue against it.
10 legislators of MNF on Tuesday filed similar complaints with assembly speaker Lalrinliana Sailo demanding that Lalduhoma be disqualified from the state legislature for allegedly violating section 2 (2) of 10th schedule of the Indian constitution.
The complaints letters were signed individually by the 10 MLAs.
The MLAs alleged that Lalduhoma, who was contesting the 2018 assembly polls on an independent ticket, has defected to ZPM as indicated by his actions.
However, Lalduhoma countered that he was the member of ZPM, which was formed in 2017 ahead of the assembly polls.
He has to contest the election as independent as the ZPM had not obtained party registration at the time of the assembly polls.
He has not defected to any political party as he continues to maintain his allegiance to the ZPM since its formation.
He claimed that he did not violate the constitution nor breached the Anti-Defection Law.