Former IAS officer of Gujarat cadre, Mr. Lalnunmawia Chuaungo, has lost the elections on a Congress ticket. Mr. Chuaungo is a 1987 batch IAS officer, who took voluntarily retirement (VRS) from his service in 2021.
Mr. Chuaungo chose inter-cadre deputation from Gujarat to Mizoram in 2018, while he was principal secretary in the state administration. He was subsequently appointed the chief secretary of Mizoram in 2019.
He contested the Mizoram Assembly Election 2023 from Aizawl North – 1 seat. But, he came 3rd with 4423 votes, as Vanlalhlana from Zoram People’s Movement won the election by a margin of 5485 votes, while Mizo National Front’s candidate R. Lalzirliana finished 2nd with 5287 votes.
The Congress party had made Mr. Chuaungo the vice president of the Mizoram state Congress unit, earlier this year.
Mr. Chuaungo originally hails from Aizawl, Mizoram. He has been a very popular face in Mizoram and was seen as a safe bet for the Congress.
Having a civil service career spanning more than 34 years, Mr. Chuaungo held some very important posts in Gujarat and Mizoram.
He worked as principal secretary in the state administration in the general administration, education, energy and petrochemicals, finance and labour and employment departments.
In Gujarat, he was also posted as CMD of the Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd, among other postings in the state government. After opting for inter-cadre deputation in April, 2018, he served as chief secretary of Mizoram from 2019 to 2021. He also held the post of Mizoram Information Commissioner, after his stint of chief secretary.
After working on inter-cadre deputation to AGMUT cadre, he had sought voluntary retirement from his post, which was later accepted by his parent cadre, the Gujarat government, which allowed him to retire on October 31, 2021.
Mizoram’s Assembly Election 2023 result declared on 4th of December by the Election Commission. The Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) party swept off the northeastern state with 27 seats out of the total 40 assembly seats, defeating the Mizo National Front (MNF) who got 10 seats. The BJP came third with two seats, while Congress managed to get just one seat.