Former Mizoram Assembly speaker Hiphei dies at 82

Former Mizoram Assembly speaker and veteran politician Hiphei died at a hospital here on Wednesday morning due to prolonged illness. He was 82. The veteran leader died around 7:30 am at the Aizawl Civil Hospital, family sources said.

He is survived by his wife and two children. Hiphei, who is also called 'father of the Mara tribe' started his political career with Mara Freedom Party (MFP) in September 1963.

Hiphei was elected to the state assembly from Tuipang constituency (Now Palak) as Independent in 1972 when Mizoram was Union territory and was made deputy speaker. He won the state assembly elections seven times between 1972 and 2013 from Palak.

He joined the Janata Party in 1978 and later switched over to Congress camp in 1984. The veteran politician was elected to Rajya Sabha for two consecutive terms between 1990 and 2002.

He was the Mizoram Assembly speaker for two terms from 1989 to 1990 and 2013 to 2018. Before the state assembly polls in November 2018, Hiphei resigned from his post, quit Congress and joined the BJP.

He contested from Palak constituency on BJP ticket but lost to Congress nominee KT Rokhaw in the 2018 assembly polls. His body was sent to his home town Siaha from his Mara house in Aizawl for the funeral.

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