Hiphei submitted his resignation to deputy speaker R LalrinawmnaMizoram Legislative Assembly Speaker and senior Congress leader Hiphei on Monday resigned from his post as well as the House and quit the Congress after he wasn’t named as a candidate in the upcoming assembly elections. Hiphei, in his letter of resignation, did not mention his reasons for quitting. He joined the BJP at noon today.
“After I tender my resignation from the Congress party, I will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),” he said. A veteran Congress leader from Siaha, Hiphei was elected MLA from Palak constituency in the 2013 Mizoram State Assembly election. He also served as Rajya Sabha MP for two terms (1990 – 1996, 1996 to 2002).
Having served two consecutive terms, Hiphei was expected to contest the polls from Palak constituency, but political difference in the Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC) areas prompted Mizoram Congress to field KT Rokhaw as their candidate, snubbing Hiphei.
With Mizoram BJP yet to announce its candidate for Palak constituency, it appears that Hiphei is likely to contest from his constituency with a BJP ticket. Mizoram will go to polls on November 28 with results scheduled to be announced on December 11.