Assam: Youngest woman MLA Rupali Langthasa stresses rural connectivity, tourism in Dima Hasao

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: A commerce graduate from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is the youngest woman member in the 16th Assam Legislative Assembly. The member is Rupali Langthasa of the BJP who made it to the Assam Assembly from the Haflong LAC.

Thirty-three-year-old Rupali belongs to the Dimasa community, and she joined the BJP in 2015 after her graduation from Banaras Hindu University in 2013. She is also a member of the Dima Hasao Autonomous Council (DHAC).

In the 2026 Assembly election in the state, the BJP fielded Rupali Langthasa instead of former minister Nandita Gorlosa. Rupali defeated her nearest rival NPP candidate Daniel Langthasa by a margin of 50,306 votes. After the denial of a ticket by the BJP, Nandita Gorlosa joined the Congress and managed to get the third position in this Assembly election.

When The Sentinel asked her about her vision for the Haflong LAC, Rupali, the first-time MLA, said, "Though the Haflong LAC has developed to an extent in the past few years and some development projects have been underway, rural connectivity is still far from satisfactory. Since the LAC is located in a difficult terrain, the village-to-village connectivity and connectivity to the National Highway continue to remain the major bottlenecks. Some villages are located on hills, which makes them inaccessible by road. This issue is one of my priorities. With the consultation of the state government, I'll work to improve rural connectivity.

She said, "Haflong has schools up to the higher secondary level. The problem lies with institutions of higher education. This situation leads students to enrol themselves in colleges located far away. My other priority is to develop higher education to an extent in the Dima Hasao district."

Regarding the tourism sector, she said, "Everybody knows that the Dima Hasao district is renowned for its scenic beauty. However, the tourism sector in the district is underdeveloped despite potential. The Hon'ble Chief Minister, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, today allotted the tourism portfolio to senior minister Ajanta Neog. I will meet Ajanta Baideu to find ways to develop more the tourism sector in the Dima Hasao district."

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