Cong claims land deal near Lengpui Airport irregular, demands CBI probe

Aizawl: Senior Congress leader and former minister John Rotluangliana on Friday levelled serious allegations against chief minister Lalduhoma over an alleged irregular land transaction near Lengpui Airport, claiming that kickbacks and payoffs were involved and demanding a probe by the CBI.Speaking at a political session organised by the Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) at the Congress Bhavan, Rotluangliana, who is also MPCC vice-president, alleged that while landowners received Rs 70 crore, an additional Rs 117 crore was siphoned off as kickbacks. He claimed that if information available to the party is accurate, the chief minister’s alleged share was Rs 14 crore, though reportedly Rs 10 crore was received with a request that payment be made “in gold”.He criticised the ruling ZPM, saying that although one minister had publicly claimed both he and the chief minister had “clean hands”, questions remained about others involved. Rotluangliana said the Congress had already lodged an FIR with the CBI and insisted that the CM must grant consent for a central probe. “If consent is denied, we will see. We will not remain mute spectators,” he warned.Congress leader also targeted the MNF, alleging that irregularities linked to Lengpui Airport dated back to earlier administrations.

He said the Congress govt had established the airport, but the MNF allegedly misused it for financial gain, and if it had remained in power, the land deal would have been concluded during its tenure.Using a Mizo idiom, he likened the MNF and ZPM to “Zawlbuka e tang ve ve”, suggesting that neither party could claim moral superiority. He added that Congress leaders had not been part of any airport-related land controversy, calling that a matter of gratitude.