Lalhmangaiha Sailo was elected by the delegates of the Assembly of the party held at the party office in Aizawl.
Sailo, a retired Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, joined politics after his retirement and took the mantle from Brig T Sailo in 2011 after the latter left active politics due to old age.
Brig T Sailo served as the chief minister during 1978 to 1984.