Within hours of resigning from the Congress party and as the Speaker of Mizoram Legislative Assembly, Hiphei on Monday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Hiphei's switch over, just days ahead of the assembly polls in Mizoram, could be seen as a major jolt to the Congress party.
A veteran politician, he was elected to the 40-member Assembly from the Palak constituency in 2013.
A total of 40 seats will go to polls in Mizoram on November 28. Results will be declared on December 11.
Mizoram is the only state in the North-East where the Congress party is currently in power.
The BJP has been reiterating that they would make all efforts to remove Congress government from the state.