In a setback to Congress, Mizoram minister R Lalzirliana quits post

A day after Congress veteran from Meghalaya DD Lapang resigned, Mizoram home minister R Lalzirliana, too, resigned from his post, just ahead of the Assembly polls scheduled to be held in December.

Lalzirliana, who was the deputy to Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and the vice-president of the party's state unit, confirmed to DNA that he has quit from his post. He, however, dismissed reports that he has quit from his party as well. "I am yet to resign from the party, and I will let my reasons known if I do," said Lalzirliana.

Incidentally, the disciplinary committee of the Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee had issued him a show-cause notice on September 11, accusing him of misleading party-workers, amid speculations that he is likely to join Mizo National Front — Congress's rival in the poll bound state and the BJP's ally a part of the NDA. Lalzirliana's name had appeared in the candidates list of the MNF, and he had recently said that he was offered seats from other parties as well.

The development comes a day after the party's veteran in Meghalaya, former CM DD Lapang quit. In a letter that he wrote to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, the four-time CM said that "the service and contribution" of elderly partymen is not useful anymore. "Since the spirit and enthusiasm to work for the people is still burning inside me, this restriction made me frustrated and compelled me to be no longer comfortable to be in the party," the 84-year old wrote in the letter.