Aizawl: In a setback for the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) in Mizoram, State Excise and Narcotics minister K. Beichhua resigned as minister of state on Tuesday.
The minister’s resignation came a year ahead of the state assembly polls, which are due in the latter part of next year.
Beichhua submitted his resignation letter to chief minister Zoramthanga.
Speaking to reporters after submitting his resignation, Beichhua said that he was told by Zoramthanga to resign as the chief minister wanted to reshuffle the cabinet.
“I received a letter from the chief minister on Monday evening asking me to resign from my post. He (Zoramthanga) said he wants to reshuffle the cabinet,” Beichhua said.
The MNF legislator from south Mizoram’s Siaha constituency said that he would continue to be a legislator and remain in the party for now.
He, however, told reporters that he is not certain about his future and yet to decide whether or not to join another political party.
“I will decide my future course of action based on the aspiration of my people,” he said.
Beichhua has been elected from Siaha constituency on the MNF ticket for two consecutive terms since 2013.
He is the minister of state in the present Zoramthanga’s cabinet and holds excise and narcotics, social welfare, sericulture and veterinary and animal husbandry portfolios.
People familiar with the matter said that Beichhua’s resignation came as a result of the prevailing political impasse in Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC) in Siaha.
Last month, the MNF-Congress coalition government in MADC was voted out of power when three MNF members voted against the coalition government in a no-confidence motion.
Subsequently, the BJP, which has 12 members, had tied up with the estranged MNF members and formed a joint legislature party.
State governor is yet to approve the claim staked by the BJP-MNF joint legislature party to form the government.
Highly placed sources said that there was internal squabble within the MNF due to the MADC political issue.
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The MNF headquarters also dismissed party president of Siaha district C. Lawbei on Monday in the wake of the political impasse, the sources said.
Political analysts believed that Beichhua’s resignation will result as a big blow to the ruling MNF ahead of the assembly polls.
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