Mizo National Front

In 1958, the Mizo Hills were devastated by the Mautam, a cyclic phenomenon where the flowering of bamboo plants result in a plague of crop-eating rats, in turn causing a famine.{{Citation|last=Das Gupta|first=Malabika|title=Hunger, Governance Failure and Its Outcome: An Analysis of the Historical Experience of the Mizo Hills District of Undivided Assam|date=2017|url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-981-10-6274-2_18|work=Inequality, Poverty and Development in India|series=India Studies in Business and Economics |pages=351–362|editor-last=De|editor-first=Utpal Kumar|place=Singapore|publisher=Springer Singapore|doi=10.1007/978-981-10-6274-2_18|isbn=978-981-10-6273-5|access-date=2021-10-12|editor2-last=Pal|editor2-first=Manoranjan|editor3-last=Bharati|editor3-first=Premananda|url-access=subscription}}{{Cite journal|last=Nag|first=Sajal|date=2001|title=Tribals, Rats, Famine, State and the Nation|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4410428|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|volume=36|issue=12|pages=1029–1033|jstor=4410428 }}

Earlier in 1955, Mizo Cultural Society was formed, with Laldenga as its secretary. In March 1960, the name of the Mizo Cultural Society was changed to 'Mautam Front'.{{Citation|last1=Sati|first1=Vishwambhar Prasad|title=Geostrategic Location, Political History and Development|date=2017|url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-319-45623-2_3|work=A Sustainable Livelihood Approach to Poverty Reduction|pages=31–33|place=Cham|publisher=Springer International Publishing|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-45623-2_3|isbn=978-3-319-45622-5|access-date=2021-10-12|last2=Vangchhia|first2=Lalrinpuia|series=SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science |url-access=subscription}} During the famine of 1959–1960, this society took lead in demanding relief and attracted the attention of all sections of the people. In September 1960, the Society adopted the name Mizo National Famine Front (MNFF).{{Cite web|date=2018-12-11|title=What is the Mizo National Front?|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/what-is/mizo-national-front-mnf-mizoram-results-5488114/|access-date=2021-10-12|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}{{Cite journal|last=Dommen|first=Arthur J.|date=1967|title=Separatist Tendencies in Eastern India|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2642421|journal=Asian Survey|volume=7|issue=10|pages=726–739|doi=10.2307/2642421|jstor=2642421 |issn=0004-4687|url-access=subscription}} The MNFF gained considerable popularity as a large number of Mizo Youth assisted in transporting rice and other essential commodities to interior villages.{{Cite journal|last=Goswami|first=Namrata|date=2009|title=The Indian Experience of Conflict Resolution in Mizoram|url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09700160902907118|journal=Strategic Analysis|language=en|volume=33|issue=4|pages=579–589|doi=10.1080/09700160902907118|s2cid=154851791 |url-access=subscription}}

{{Main|Mizo National Front uprising}}

The MNFF, which was originally formed to help ease the immense sufferings of the people during the severe Mautam Famine in Mizoram, was converted into Mizo National Front (MNF) on 22 October 1961.{{cite journal|last1=Goswami|first1=Namrata|date=2009|title=The Indian Experience of Conflict Resolution in Mizoram|journal=Strategic Analysis|volume=33|issue=4|pages=579–589|doi=10.1080/09700160902907118|s2cid=154851791}} The first OB leaders elected were, President Laldenga, Vice President JF Manliana, General Secy. R. Vanlawma, and Treasurer Rochhinga and the ways in which the Indian authority of the day handled the famine left the people disillusioned. The wave of secessionist and armed insurrection was running high among the Mizos. In 1966, MNF led a major uprising against the government, but failed to gain administrative control of the Mizo district. The secessionist movement held on for about two decades. During that time, they invaded Burma claiming Chin State and Tahan belong to Mizoram since most of the resident in Tahan are Mizo.{{cite journal|last1=Nunthara|first1=C.|date=1981|title=Grouping of Villages in Mizoram: Its Social and Economic Impact|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|volume=16|issue=30|pages=1237, 1239–1240|jstor=4370043}}{{cite journal|last1=Dewen|first1=L.J.M.|date=2009|title=The Mizo People: Problems and Future|url=http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTotal-NYYZ200904005.htm|journal=South Asian Studies Quarterly|volume=4|page=5|access-date=12 October 2021|archive-date=22 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022222905/http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTotal-NYYZ200904005.htm|url-status=dead}}

{{main|Mizoram Accord, 1986}}

This chapter of insurgency finally came to a close with the signing of the Mizoram Accord on 30 June 1986 between the underground government of the Mizo National Front and the Government of India. Under the terms of the peace accord, Mizoram was granted statehood in February 1987.{{cite web|last1=Sharma|first1=S.K.|date=2016|title=Lessons from Mizoram Insurgency and Peace Accord 1986|url=https://www.vifindia.org/sites/default/files/lessons-from-mizoram-insurgency-and-peace-accord-1986.pdf|website=www.vifindia.org|publisher=Vivekananda International Foundation|accessdate=24 December 2018}}

In the resulting election, the Congress won, and the MNF would be in opposition until 1998. In 1990, Laldenga died, and was replaced by his former secretary and Finance Minister, Zoramthanga. In 1998 and 2003 MNF won the state assembly elections, and Zoramthanga was chief minister for 10 years.{{cite news|last=Anisha|date=11 November 2013|title=Mizoram assembly polls 2013: A brief profile on Pu Zoramthanga|newspaper=One India News|url=http://news.oneindia.in/india/mizoram-assembly-polls-2013-brief-profile-on-pu-zoramthanga-1339392.html|access-date=20 January 2014}} In the 2003 elections MNF won 21 out of 40 seats in the state assembly, and got 132 505 votes (31.66%).{{cite news|last=Neha Attre|date=9 November 2013|title=Mizoram CM candidate profile - Pu Zoramthanga|newspaper=Zee News|url=http://zeenews.india.com/assembly-elections-2013/mizoram-polls/mizoram-cm-candidate-profile-pu-zoramthanga_888811.html|access-date=20 January 2014}} The party was routed by the Congress in the 2008 state election, winning just 3 seats.{{cite web|title=2008 Elections Results|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/AE2008/Stats_report_MZ2008.pdf|publisher=ECI|access-date=21 May 2013}} It contested the 2013 state elections in alliance with the Mizoram People's Conference, and won 5 seats to the Congress's 34. In the 2018 state assembly elections, the MNF won 26 seats and returned to government.{{cite news|title=MNF sweeps Mizoram, northeast now 'Congress-mukt'|website=The Times of India |date=12 December 2018 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/mnf-sweeps-mizoram-north-east-now-congress-mukt/articleshow/67053567.cms}} The party lost power to the Zoram People's Movement during the 2023 state assembly elections.

For the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, it formed an alliance called United Democratic Front with seven other parties including BJP, to contest the only seat in Mizoram.{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/regional-india/triangular-contest-for-lone-mizoram-seat/|title=Triangular contest for lone Mizoram seat|date=2014-03-18|newspaper=Indian Express}} The MNF has been part of the National Democratic Alliance since 2014{{Cite web|last=Kumar|first=Devesh|date=2014-05-20|title=BJP + 29 Parties = National Democratic Alliance|url=https://www.ndtv.com/elections-news/bjp-29-parties-national-democratic-alliance-562972|access-date=2021-10-12|website=NDTV}}{{Cite web|date=2021-07-30|title=BJP-led northeast alliance stays off border row {{!}} India News – The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bjp-led-northeast-alliance-stays-off-border-row/articleshow/84875804.cms|access-date=2021-10-12|website=timesofindia.indiatimes.com|language=en}}till 2023.

File:The Chief Minister, Mizoram, Shri Zoramthanga calls on the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss to discuss various issues related to Health in the State, in New Delhi on September 08, 2006 (cropped).jpg

{{main|List of chief ministers of Mizoram}}

File:Mizo National Front Office.JPG

As of the latest party election in 2019, the officers are:{{Cite news|agency=Press Trust of India|date=2019-11-28|title=Mizoram CM elected unopposed as MNF president|work=Business Standard India|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/mizoram-cm-elected-unopposed-as-mnf-president-119112801102_1.html|access-date=2021-10-12}}

• Mizoram People's Conference
• Zoram Nationalist Party
• Zoram People's Movement
• Indian National Congress
• Political parties in Mizoram
• List of political parties in India

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/mizoram/documents/papers/mizoram_accord_1986.htm Peace Accord 1986]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20040806232658/http://www.mizoram.nic.in/mp.htm MPs of Mizoram] (archived 6 August 2004)
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTfJgMRyMAE Mizo National Front campaign song recorded 1993] (video on YouTube)

{{Mizoram}}

{{Indian political parties}}

{{North-East Democratic Alliance}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Political parties in Mizoram

Category:Political parties established in 1961

Category:1961 establishments in Assam