Ranee Narah: Not new to controversies

Lakhimpur, April 21: Ranee Narah, one of the very few women in the electoral fray, has been nominated for the third time by the ruling Congress for the Lakhimpur seat. Her nomination, despite opposition by several senior leaders and MLAs of the party, shows the party high command’s faith in her prospects.

Narah, however, dismisses any possibility of dissidence affecting her prospects saying, “It is a closed chapter”.

Narah, 42, hails from Kamrup district. She played cricket in school and later became head of the national women’s cricket organisation for some time apart from heading the state women’s cricket organisation.

Married to state minister Bharat Narah and mother of two sons, she was also associated with the Assam agitation. However, she was accused by her co-workers at that time of being a “spy” of former Congress chief minister late Hiteswar Saikia.

She came into active politics just after the anti-foreigners movement and her marriage to an influential and powerful leader of the then newly-floated Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), helped her immensely.

However, following the footsteps of her husband, she deserted the AGP and joined the Congress. Known for her aggression and outspoken nature, Narah got into numerous controversies.

After being removed from the post of the state youth Congress president, she demanded the party ticket from Lakhimpur for the first time in 1998 and by using the “good contacts” with the party high command she managed to get the party nomination.

Four party MLAs from her constituency strongly opposed her candidature this time, largely due to her “ill-behaviour” and for “failing to do anything substantial”, even after representing the constituency for the past six years.

Narah, who was president of the reception committee of the last Asam Sahitya Sabha session held at Lakhimpur, had also allegedly not submitted the formal accounts of the session, which amounts to over Rs 50 lakh.

The top Congress leadership, including four MLAs, Dileswar Tanti (Doomdooma), Raju Sahu (Chabua), Rajib Lochan Pegu (Majuli) and Pradan Baruah (Jonai) have avoided her campaigns.

Pitted against the veteran Arun Sarmah of the AGP and Uday Hazarika of the BJP this time, Narah had defeated heavyweights Iswar P. Hazarika and Sarbananada Sonowal, both from the AGP, in 1998 and 1999 respectively.