Lal Thanhawla

Lal Thanhawla Biography

Lal Thanhawla was born on 19 May 1942 and Chief Minister of Mizoram from 11 December 2008. He is elected from the ticket of Indian National Congress.  He was elected to another term in the 2013 Mizoram Legislative Assembly election. This was the fifth time he was elected to the office of Chief Minister. He successfully contested in the general elections nine times, in 1978, 1979, 1984, 1987, 1993, 2003, 2008, and 2013. He is married to Lal Riliani.   

Lal Thanhawla is the son of Hmartawnphunga Sailo and Lalsawmliani Chawngthu. He completed matriculation in 1958. He passed his intermediate examination (higher secondary) in arts in 1961. Thereafter, he studied BA at Pachhunga University College Aijal, affiliated with Gauhati University then.

Lal Thanhawla joined a government job in the office of Inspector of Schools as a recorder in Mizoram District Council, which was then under Assam Government. Later he joined Assam Co-operative Bank as Assistant. In 1966, he joined the underground movement called Mizo National Front (MNF) as Foreign Secretary. He was arrested and kept in jail until 1967.

Later he joined the congress party at the time of his release from jail and was appointed the Chief Organiser of the Aizawl District Congress Committee. He was President of the Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee in 1973 and has been winning the same post ever since barring once. He was elected MLA in 1978 election and 1979 in Union Territory Elections. Congress won the 1984 state election in his leadership with a big margin and Lal Thanhawla became the Chief Minister. 

In 1986, The Indian Government signed a Peace Accord with MNF, Lal Thanhawla became Deputy Chief Minister and Pu Laldenga, the leader of MNF became Chief Minister. The Mizoram was given the full statehood and in the following state assembly election in 1987, Lal Thanhawla was elected Chief Minister once again. 

He was re-elected in the elections held in 1989 and 1993 elections. Lal Thanhawla lost just once in 1998 after that he won in 2003, 2008, and 2013 Assembly Elections. In 2013 Thanhawla led the Congress party to a thumping majority winning 34 seats out of 40-member legislative assembly. He won the seats he contested the Serchhip and Hrangturzo constituencies.

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Updated: October 18, 2015