 "Ahead of Mizoram Assembly elections 2023, ZPM forms alliance with HPC")
The Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) in Mizoram announced it has formed an alliance with the Hmar People's Convention (HPC) to contest the forthcoming assembly elections in the state. An agreement was signed between the two parties on August 30 in Sakawrdai village, located in the northeastern part of Mizoram.
According to the agreement, the HPC will fully support the ZPM in the assembly elections and not field any of its candidates. This aims to ensure that ZPM candidates secure seats in the state assembly. The agreement also stipulated that if ZPM comes to power following the assembly elections, it will take measures to honour the Memorandum of Settlement signed between the Hmar People's Convention-Democratic (HPC-D) and the Mizoram government in April 2018.
ZPM Vice President Kenneth Chawngliana noted that the HPC had signed similar agreements with various parties, but none had fulfilled their promises. HPC President Rohringa lamented the lack of development in Hmar-dominated areas of Mizoram and urged party workers to make sure the electoral partnership brings about positive results.
ZPM is the main opposition party in Mizoram, boasting seven lawmakers in the state legislative assembly. Initially formed in 2017 as an electoral alliance of six minor parties, including the Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP), Mizoram People's Conference (MPC), and Zoram Exodus Movement (ZEM), it later added Mizoram People's Party (MPP), Zoram Reformation Front (ZRF), and Zoram Democratic Front (ZDF) to its ranks. Except for the MPC, which chose to sever ties, all other parties have been dissolved to form a unified political entity.
In the 2018 assembly elections, ZPM contested 35 seats and secured victories in eight of them.