Baryl Vanneihsangi is one of the only 16 women contesting in the Mizoram assembly polls this year, out of a total of 174 candidates. The 32-year-old TV presenter-turned-politician, contesting from Aizawl South-III on a ZPM ticket, is one of the youngest candidates in the polls.
In a conversation with Newslaundry’s Tanishka Sodhi, Baryl discussed Mizoram’s dismal record of women in politics. At present, Mizoram is the only state in India to not have a single woman MLA in the assembly. Since the formation of the state, only four women have been elected as MLAs.
She said there was a perception in Mizoram that women belonged to the four walls of a household. On being a young woman, who is unmarried, she said she often has to convince people to take her “seriously” as a politician.
She also spoke about coming across comments on social media that said she belongs in the fashion and entertainment world, and how she fights against this perception.
Watch.
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