The Congress party has suffered its biggest casualty in the state of Mizoram, as senior Congress leader and Mizoram Assembly Speaker Hiphei has tendered his resignation as speaker of the Assembly. Hiphei has decided to quit the Congress party to join the BJP on Monday, reported Northeast Today.
Hiphei, one of the senior most Congress leader in the Northeast, was elected to the Assembly from the Palak constituency. He was elected to Rajya Sabha Member two times from 1990 to 2002.
The BJP was already hopeful of Hiphei quitting the Congress party to join them. “He (Hiphei) would first tender his resignation as the speaker and then from the primary membership of the Congress. He will then join our party.”
Reportedly, Hiphei’s relationship with the Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla had turned bitter in the recent months and recently, the senior Congress leader had turned down the party’s offer asking him to contest in the upcoming elections. The 81-year old Mizoram speaker had met senior BJP leader and in-charge of Mizoram affairs Himanta Bishwa Sharma recently, which had reportedly made the Congress leadership worried.
Mizoram, the only North-east state under Congress rule is going to polls on November 28. The ruling party Congress has already under severe pressure after most of its senior leader has quit the party to join the BJP or contest independently. Recently, the Congress legislator from Tuirial, Hmingdailova Khiangte had resigned from the party.
Khiangte is the fourth Congress MLA to resign from the present Mizoram Legislative Assembly. R Lalzirliana, who was Home Minister in the Lal Thanhawla Cabinet, former Health Minister Lalrinliana Sailo and BD Chakma had tendered their resignations earlier.
The elections to Mizoram state assembly will be held on November 28 in a single phase. The result will be announced on December 11 along with the results of four other states – Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, and Chattisgarh.