Baryl Vanneihsangi, a 32-year-old radio jockey with a substantial Instagram following, has achieved the distinction of becoming the youngest Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Mizoram following her success in the recent state election. Representing the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), she secured victory in the Aizawl South-III constituency by a margin of 1,414 votes.
The ZPM, Mizoram’s newest political party, emerged triumphant in the elections by securing 27 out of 40 seats, significantly defeating the incumbent Mizo National Front (MNF). Baryl Vanneihsangi, one of the three women elected to the Mizoram assembly, is renowned on Instagram with an impressive following of over 252,000 users.
In the aftermath of the Mizoram election results, the former TV presenter expressed her views on gender equality and encouraged women to pursue their passions without limitations. Emphasizing that gender should not be a barrier, she conveyed a powerful message, stating, “My message to them is that regardless of which community or social strata they belong to, if they want to take up something, they should just go for it.” Baryl Vanneihsangi holds a Master’s in Arts from the North Eastern Hill University in Shillong and had previously served as a corporator in the Aizawl Municipal Corporation. Out of the 174 candidates in the Mizoram election, only 16 were women, with two contesting in two constituencies each, making a total of 18 seats with women candidates participating in the assembly elections.
