Vanlalawmpuii Chawngthu is Mizoram’s first woman minister since 1987

Newmai News Network

AIZAWL | SEP 22

The lone woman legislator in Mizoram Vanlalawmpuii Chawngthu has become Mizoram’s first woman minister since the 1987 state assembly elections, after she was inducted to Lal Thanhawla’s cabinet on Friday .

Chawngthu was sworn in as a minister by Mizoram governor Lt. Gen. Nirbhay Sharma (Rtd) during a searing-in-ceremony held at Raj Bhavan. She is the second woman in Mizoram to hold ministerial post after Lalhlimpuii Hmar, who was made a minister in 1987.

Chawngthu will hold the rank of Minister of State in Lal Thanhawla’s government.

With Chawngthu, Mizoram now has 12 ministers.

 Earlier on September 20, senior Congress leader and Aizawl South III assembly constituency MLA, K S Thanga was sworn in as minister in the Congress government.

Meanwhile, the 38-year-old Mizoram Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (MPYCC) president, Chawngthu joined the Congress party and won the Hrangturzo by-poll with a margin of 2503 votes to retain the seat for the ruling Congress in May 2014 as Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla vacated the seat after winning it along with Serchhip in 2013 assembly polls.

Chawngthu, better known as O.P-i, is the daughter of senior Congress leader and former minister C Chawngkunga and she is presently the chairperson of Mizoram state commission for women. In Mizoram’s political history, Chawngthu became the fourth woman legislator.

Speaking to media persons after the swearing-in-ceremony today, Chawngthu said she would try her best for the welfare of the women.

She then thanked Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla for his concern for the empowerment of women and inducting a woman minister in his government after a gap of about 30 years.