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. 

This report has been published as part of the joint NL-TNM Election Fund and is supported by hundreds of readers. Click here to power our ground reports.