Not surprised at electoral debacle, says Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla

AIZAWL: Five-term chief minister of Mizoram and veteran Congress leader Lal Thanhawla has said he wasn't surprised at the Congress's electoral debacle. Speaking at the meeting of the Mizoram Pradesh Congress committee at Congress Bhavan in Aizawl on Thursday, Lal Thanhawla said reformation and revamp of the party is a must now.

At his first meeting with the state Congress leaders after returning from New Delhi, where he attended the swearing-in of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister, Lal Thanhawla said the Congress must retrospect. "We would never regain power in Delhi unless we reform ourselves and perform," he added.

He blamed the AICC for selecting influential candidates rather than those having chances to win and having a clean image. Lal Thanhawla, who is also the Mizoram PCC president, slammed some Congress leaders at the Centre for criticizing Union human resource development minister Smiriti Zubin Irani for her educational qualifications. "We should look back and try to reform ourselves rather, instead of indulging in undue criticism," he said.

He hoped Prime Minister Modi would understand the problems of the states as he was a chief minister until recently. Lal Thanhawla also expressed optimism that by advocating strong federalism, Modi would strengthen the federal structure of the country and usher in development.

Non-Congress governments at the Centre always brought some notable development in the northeast, he said, adding that he welcomed the induction of two ministers from the region.