Mizoram minister Lal Thanzara's resignation accepted by Governor

AIZAWL: Mizoram Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Nirbhay Sharma today accepted the resignation of Minister of State for Health Lal Thanzara who quit in the wake of the opposition charge that he was involved in "office of profit" scam.

Secretary to the Governor, Rodney Lalrinawma, said that the Governor has accepted the resignation on the advice of Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla.

Lal Thanzara, the younger brother of the Chief Minister, had yesterday submitted his resignation from the state government. He had also resigned as a Congress legislator yesterday.

Opposition parties had accused Lal Thanzara of giving undue favour to ' Sunshine Overseas', a construction company.

He was accused of being involved in "office of profit" scam by holding 4.76 lakh shares (21 per cent) in 'Sunshine Overseas' which had bagged construction contracts worth crores of rupees under the state public works department.

The PWD portfolio is with the Chief Minister.

Lal Thanzara was also accused by the opposition parties of receiving pecuniary benefits through H P Food Products, a company owned by him, which bagged Rs 22.35 crore worth supply of high protein biscuits to the state Social Welfare Department.

The minister had said yesterday that he decided to step down as the charges against him, though baseless and false, might cause embarrassment to the government and the party.

He had denied the allegations by the opposition that he received pecuniary benefits from a construction company working under the state government.

However, he had admitted that the said firm ' Sunshine Overseas Company' gave him shares, but without his knowledge.

Lal Thanzara had submitted his resignation as a legislator to Assembly Speaker Hiphei yesterday.

The Speaker, who is in New Delhi and is scheduled to return to Aizawl on Saturday, said that he would "study the resignation and the reasons" before taking any decision.

Leaders of the ruling Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) had met the Chief Minister yesterday and appealed to him not to accept Lal Thanzara's resignation.

Congress leaders, including Art and Culture Minister R Romawia and MPCC General Secretary C Chawngkunga, had said that Lal Thanzara's resignation should not be accepted by the Chief Minister and the Speaker.