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https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/dissidence-muddies-cong-hopes-ranee-narah-has-her-task-cut-out-in-lakhimpur-against-sarma-pegu/cid/637193|title=Dissidence muddies Cong hopes – Ranee Narah has her task cut out in Lakhimpur against Sarma & Pegu|publisher=The Telegraph (India)|date=22 April 2009|access-date=2026-01-03|last=Das|first=Ripunjoy}}</ref> In 2009, Narah was nominated as the candidate for Lakhimpur despite opposition from the Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, and many party MLA’s in Lakhimpur constituency.<ref name=”HT1″/><ref name=”Telegraph3″/><ref name=”Telegraph4″/><ref name=”Telegraph5″>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/gogoi-wins-naming-game/cid/494493|title=Gogoi wins naming game|publisher=The Telegraph (India)|date=12 March 2009|access-date=2026-01-01|author=Staff Reporter}}</ref><ref name=”Telegraph6″>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/ticketless-leader-quits-cong/cid/419586|title=Ticketless leader quits Cong|publisher=The Telegraph (India)|date=23 March 2011|access-date=2026-01-22|author=Staff Reporter}}</ref> She won the election by defeating the Asom Gana Parishad candidate and incumbent, Arun Kumar Sarmah. After re-entering parliament in 2009, Narah was appointed [[Chief Whip|Deputy Chief Whip]] of the [[Indian National Congress|Congress Parliamentary Party]] in the Lok Sabha.<ref name=”Ranee deputy whip of LS”>{{cite web|url=http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=nov2609/at012 |title=Ranee deputy whip of LS |publisher=The Assam Tribune|date=25 November 2009 |access-date=28 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240526083313/https://www.webcitation.org/6Bj3pcTjI?url=http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp%3Fid=nov2609/at012|archive-date=26 May 2024 }}</ref>

https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/dissidence-muddies-cong-hopes-ranee-narah-has-her-task-cut-out-in-lakhimpur-against-sarma-pegu/cid/637193|title=Dissidence muddies Cong hopes – Ranee Narah has her task cut out in Lakhimpur against Sarma & Pegu|publisher=The Telegraph (India)|date=22 April 2009|access-date=2026-01-03|last=Das|first=Ripunjoy}}</ref> In 2009, Narah was nominated as the candidate for Lakhimpur despite opposition from the Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, and many party MLA’s in Lakhimpur constituency.<ref name=”HT1″/><ref name=”Telegraph3″/><ref name=”Telegraph4″/><ref name=”Telegraph5″>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/gogoi-wins-naming-game/cid/494493|title=Gogoi wins naming game|publisher=The Telegraph (India)|date=12 March 2009|access-date=2026-01-01|author=Staff Reporter}}</ref><ref name=”Telegraph6″>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/ticketless-leader-quits-cong/cid/419586|title=Ticketless leader quits Cong|publisher=The Telegraph (India)|date=23 March 2011|access-date=2026-01-22|author=Staff Reporter}}</ref> She won the election by defeating the Asom Gana Parishad candidate and incumbent, Arun Kumar Sarmah. After re-entering parliament in 2009, Narah was appointed [[Chief Whip|Deputy Chief Whip]] of the [[Indian National Congress|Congress Parliamentary Party]] in the Lok Sabha.<ref name=”Ranee deputy whip of LS”>{{cite web|url=http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=nov2609/at012 |title=Ranee deputy whip of LS |publisher=The Assam Tribune|date=25 November 2009 |access-date=28 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240526083313/https://www.webcitation.org/6Bj3pcTjI?url=http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp%3Fid=nov2609/at012|archive-date=26 May 2024 }}</ref>

In 2012, Narah was inducted into the [[Union Cabinet of India]] as [[Minister of State]] in the [[Ministry of Tribal Affairs|Tribal Affairs]] ministry.<ref name=”Sportsperson-turned-politician Narah gets ministerial berth”/> In 2013, Narah opposed the [[Subansiri Lower Dam]] Hydro Electric Project.<ref name=”assamtribune”>{{cite web|url=https://assamtribune.com/ranee-narah-backs-anti-dam-stir|title=Ranee Narah backs anti-dam stir|author=Staff Reporter|date=7 February 2013|publisher=Assam Tribune|access-date=30 January 2026}}</ref> Much of Lakhimpur’s [[Bogibeel Bridge]] was completed by [[Indian Railways]] during Narah’s tenure’s as Member of Parliament from 1998 to 2004 and 2009 to 2014,<ref name=”Parliamentary-Debates”>{{Cite book|title=Parliamentary Debates, House of the People: Official Report|url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Parliamentary_Debates_House_of_the_Peopl/rZO9vqjGFbgC?hl|author=India. Parliament. Lok Sabha|year=2000|page=69|publisher=Parliament Secretariat}}</ref><ref name=”Indian-Railways”>{{Cite book|title=Indian Railways: Volume 48|url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Indian_Railways/QjZUAAAAMAAJ?hl|author=Indian Railways|year=2002|page=5|publisher=Railway Board}}</ref><ref name=”ENVIS”> ENVIS Centre, 2013: ”Assam Status of Environment and Related Issues”. ENVIS Centre.</ref> although project delays meant that the bridge was inaugurated in 2019.<ref name=”Telegraph7″>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/bogibeel-bridge-to-be-delayed/cid/766485|title=Bogibeel bridge to be delayed|publisher=The Telegraph (India)|date=3 March 2004|access-date=30 January 2026|author=Staff Reporter}}</ref><ref name=”down-to-earth”>{{cite web|url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/environment/brahmaputra-rail-bridge-project-suffers-delays-8425|title=Brahmaputra rail bridge project suffers delays|publisher=www.downtoearth.org.in|date=30 September 2006|access-date=30 January 2026|author=Nava Thakuria}}</ref><ref name=”TOI2″>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/high-time-to-bridge-the-delay/articleshow/7399735.cms|title=High time to bridge the delay|publisher=The Times of India|date=31 January 2011|access-date=30 January 2026|author=Rajib Dutta}}</ref><ref name=”Bogibeel-Bridge”>{{cite web|url=https://assamtribune.com/bogibeel-bridge-likely-to-be-delayed|title=Bogibeel bridge likely to be delayed|author=Staff Reporter|publisher=Assam Tribune|date=15 September 2013|access-date=31 January 2026}}</ref><ref name=”Telegraph8″>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/suddenly-it-s-not-a-bridge-too-far-budget-push-delhi-nudge-tech-tweak-spell-hope-for-bogibeel-project/cid/165473|title=Suddenly, it’s not a bridge too far – Budget push, Delhi nudge & tech tweak spell hope for Bogibeel project|publisher=The Telegraph (India)|date=15 July 2014|access-date=30 January 2026|author=Kinsuk Basu}}</ref><ref name=”Economic-Times”>{{cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/indl-goods/svs/construction/bogibeel-bridges-girder-cost-may-escalate-by-rs-300-crore-hcc/articleshow/48411973.cms?from=mdr|title=Bogibeel bridge’s girder cost may escalate by Rs 300 crore: HCC|publisher=[[The Economic Times]]|date=9 August 2015|access-date=30 January 2026|author=Press Trust of India}}</ref><ref name=”the-quint”>{{cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/politics/will-the-bogibeel-bridge-delay-cost-assam-congress-its-voters|title=Will the Bogibeel Bridge Delay Cost Assam Congress Its Voters?|author=Tridip K. Mandal|publisher=[[The Quint]]|date=4 April 2016|access-date=31 January 2026}}</ref><ref name=”Deccan-Herald”>{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/nations-longest-rail-road-bridge-2067137|title=Nation’s longest rail-road bridge may miss deadline again|author=DHNS|publisher=[[Deccan Herald]]|date=28 May 2016|access-date=30 January 2026}}</ref><ref name=”TOI3″>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/bogibeel-bridge-to-be-commissioned-in-december-2017/articleshow/54160351.cms|title=Bogibeel Bridge to be commissioned in December, 2017|publisher=The Times of India|date=8 September 2016|access-date=30 January 2026|author=TNN News}}</ref><ref name=”Asia-Times”>{{cite web|url=https://asiatimes.com/2018/12/the-dark-side-of-indias-longest-rail-road-bridge/|title=The dark side of India’s longest rail-road bridge|last1=Gogoi|first1=Suraj|last2=Saikia|first2=Parag Jyoti|date=29 December 2018|publisher=[[Asia Times]]|access-date=30 January 2026}}</ref><ref name=”railway gazette”>{{cite web|url=https://www.railwaygazette.com/asia/engineering-masterpiece-bogibeel-bridge-opens/47837.article|title=Engineering masterpiece’ Bogibeel Bridge opens|author=Railway Gazette International|date=9 January 2019|access-date=31 January 2026}}</ref> In 2014, she lost her re-election campaign from Lakhimpur against the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] candidate, Sarbananda Sonowal, who became the Chief Minister after the [[2016 Assam Legislative Assembly election]].<ref name=”Telegraph2″/><ref name=”Saikia”>{{cite journal |author=Saikia, S.|title=General Election 2014: Will BJP’s Gains Polarize Assam Further?|url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/2321023015575215|journal=Studies in Indian Politics|volume=3|issue=1|pages=69-80|year=2015|doi=}}</ref> In 2016, Narah was elected to the [[Rajya Sabha]] from Assam, and represented the state until 2022.<ref name=”indianexpress”>{{Cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/assem-ahead-of-assembly-polls-congress-wins-both-rajya-sabha-seats-in-cross-voting/|title= Assam: Ahead of assembly polls, Congress wins both Rajya Sabha seats in cross-voting|publisher=[[The Indian Express]]|date= 22 March 2016|last=Kashyap|first=Samudra Gupta|access-date=1 January 2026}}</ref><ref name=”thestatesman”>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestatesman.com/india/first-time-bjp-crosses-100-mark-rajya-sabha-1503056450.html|title=For the first time BJP crosses 100-mark in Rajya Sabha|publisher=[[The Statesman (India)]]|date=1 April 2022|author=SNS|access-date=30 January 2026}}</ref> In 2024, the Indian National Congress did not nominate Narah as the candidate from Lakhimpur.<ref name=”ITNE”>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatodayne.in/elections/story/assam-congress-fields-uday-shankar-hazarika-for-lakhimpur-ls-seat-ranee-narah-denied-ticket-sources-935923-2024-03-19|title=Assam Congress fields Uday Shankar Hazarika for Lakhimpur LS seat, Ranee Narah denied ticket: Sources|publisher=India Today NE|date=19 March 2024|access-date=1 January 2026|first=Habib|last=Atiqul}}</ref>

In 2012, Narah was inducted into the [[Union Cabinet of India]] as [[Minister of State]] in the [[Ministry of Tribal Affairs|Tribal Affairs]] ministry.<ref name=”Sportsperson-turned-politician Narah gets ministerial berth”/> In 2013, Narah opposed the [[Subansiri Lower Dam]] Hydro Electric Project.<ref name=”assamtribune”>{{cite web|url=https://assamtribune.com/ranee-narah-backs-anti-dam-stir|title=Ranee Narah backs anti-dam stir|author=Staff Reporter|date=7 February 2013|publisher=Assam Tribune|access-date=30 January 2026}}</ref> Much of Lakhimpur’s [[Bogibeel Bridge]] was completed by [[Indian Railways]] during Narah’s tenure’s as Member of Parliament from 1998 to 2004 and 2009 to 2014,<ref name=”Parliamentary-Debates”>{{Cite book|title=Parliamentary Debates, House of the People: Official Report|url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Parliamentary_Debates_House_of_the_Peopl/rZO9vqjGFbgC?hl|author=India. Parliament. Lok Sabha|year=2000|page=69|publisher=Parliament Secretariat}}</ref><ref name=”Indian-Railways”>{{Cite book|title=Indian Railways: Volume 48|url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Indian_Railways/QjZUAAAAMAAJ?hl|author=Indian Railways|year=2002|page=5|publisher=Railway Board}}</ref><ref name=”ENVIS”> ENVIS Centre, 2013: ”Assam Status of Environment and Related Issues”. ENVIS Centre.</ref> although project delays meant that the bridge was inaugurated in 2019.<ref name=”Telegraph7″>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/bogibeel-bridge-to-be-delayed/cid/766485|title=Bogibeel bridge to be delayed|publisher=The Telegraph (India)|date=3 March 2004|access-date=30 January 2026|author=Staff Reporter}}</ref><ref name=”down-to-earth”>{{cite web|url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/environment/brahmaputra-rail-bridge-project-suffers-delays-8425|title=Brahmaputra rail bridge project suffers delays|publisher=www.downtoearth.org.in|date=30 September 2006|access-date=30 January 2026|author=Nava Thakuria}}</ref><ref name=”TOI2″>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/high-time-to-bridge-the-delay/articleshow/7399735.cms|title=High time to bridge the delay|publisher=The Times of India|date=31 January 2011|access-date=30 January 2026|author=Rajib Dutta}}</ref><ref name=”Bogibeel-Bridge”>{{cite web|url=https://assamtribune.com/bogibeel-bridge-likely-to-be-delayed|title=Bogibeel bridge likely to be delayed|author=Staff Reporter|publisher=Assam Tribune|date=15 September 2013|access-date=31 January 2026}}</ref><ref name=”Telegraph8″>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/suddenly-it-s-not-a-bridge-too-far-budget-push-delhi-nudge-tech-tweak-spell-hope-for-bogibeel-project/cid/165473|title=Suddenly, it’s not a bridge too far – Budget push, Delhi nudge & tech tweak spell hope for Bogibeel project|publisher=The Telegraph (India)|date=15 July 2014|access-date=30 January 2026|author=Kinsuk Basu}}</ref><ref name=”Economic-Times”>{{cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/indl-goods/svs/construction/bogibeel-bridges-girder-cost-may-escalate-by-rs-300-crore-hcc/articleshow/48411973.cms?from=mdr|title=Bogibeel bridge’s girder cost may escalate by Rs 300 crore: HCC|publisher=[[The Economic Times]]|date=9 August 2015|access-date=30 January 2026|author=Press Trust of India}}</ref><ref name=”the-quint”>{{cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/politics/will-the-bogibeel-bridge-delay-cost-assam-congress-its-voters|title=Will the Bogibeel Bridge Delay Cost Assam Congress Its Voters?|author=Tridip K. Mandal|publisher=[[The Quint]]|date=4 April 2016|access-date=31 January 2026}}</ref><ref name=”Deccan-Herald”>{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/nations-longest-rail-road-bridge-2067137|title=Nation’s longest rail-road bridge may miss deadline again|author=DHNS|publisher=[[Deccan Herald]]|date=28 May 2016|access-date=30 January 2026}}</ref><ref name=”TOI3″>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/bogibeel-bridge-to-be-commissioned-in-december-2017/articleshow/54160351.cms|title=Bogibeel Bridge to be commissioned in December, 2017|publisher=The Times of India|date=8 September 2016|access-date=30 January 2026|author=TNN News}}</ref><ref name=”Asia-Times”>{{cite web|url=https://asiatimes.com/2018/12/the-dark-side-of-indias-longest-rail-road-bridge/|title=The dark side of India’s longest rail-road bridge|last1=Gogoi|first1=Suraj|last2=Saikia|first2=Parag Jyoti|date=29 December 2018|publisher=[[Asia Times]]|access-date=30 January 2026}}</ref><ref name=”railway gazette”>{{cite web|url=https://www.railwaygazette.com/asia/engineering-masterpiece-bogibeel-bridge-opens/47837.article|title=Engineering masterpiece’ Bogibeel Bridge opens|author=Railway Gazette International|date=9 January 2019|access-date=31 January 2026}}</ref> In 2014, she lost her re-election campaign from Lakhimpur against the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] candidate, Sarbananda Sonowal, who became the Chief Minister after the [[2016 Assam Legislative Assembly election]].<ref name=”Telegraph2″/><ref name=”Saikia”>{{cite journal |author=Saikia, S.|title=General Election 2014: Will BJP’s Gains Polarize Assam Further?|url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/2321023015575215|journal=Studies in Indian Politics|volume=3|issue=1|pages=69-80|year=2015|doi=}}</ref> In 2016, Narah was elected to the [[Rajya Sabha]] from Assam, and represented the state until 2022.<ref name=”indianexpress”>{{Cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/assem-ahead-of-assembly-polls-congress-wins-both-rajya-sabha-seats-in-cross-voting/|title= Assam: Ahead of assembly polls, Congress wins both Rajya Sabha seats in cross-voting|publisher=[[The Indian Express]]|date= 22 March 2016|last=Kashyap|first=Samudra Gupta|access-date=1 January 2026}}</ref><ref name=”thestatesman”>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestatesman.com/india/first-time-bjp-crosses-100-mark-rajya-sabha-1503056450.html|title=For the first time BJP crosses 100-mark in Rajya Sabha|publisher=[[The Statesman (India)]]|date=1 April 2022|author=SNS|access-date=30 January 2026}}</ref> In 2024, the Indian National Congress did not nominate Narah as the candidate from Lakhimpur.<ref name=”ITNE”>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatodayne.in/elections/story/assam-congress-fields-uday-shankar-hazarika-for-lakhimpur-ls-seat-ranee-narah-denied-ticket-sources-935923-2024-03-19|title=Assam Congress fields Uday Shankar Hazarika for Lakhimpur LS seat, Ranee Narah denied ticket: Sources|publisher=India Today NE|date=19 March 2024|access-date=1 January 2026|first=Habib|last=Atiqul}}</ref>

Narah — born as Jahanara Choudhary into an [[Assamese people|Assamese]] [[Islam|Muslim]] family in Guwahati’s Gandhibasti — is married to [[Bharat Narah]], a six-term [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|member]] of the [[Assam Legislative Assembly]], and former cabinet minister in the Assam government.<ref name=”HT1″/><ref name=”IT2″>{{cite web|title=Hereditary politics: Political families of India |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20040412-hereditary-politics-political-families-of-india-790707-2004-04-11 |publisher=[[India Today]] |date=12 April 2004 |access-date=28 October 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140126163713/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/hereditary-politics-political-families-of-india/1/196747.html |archive-date=26 January 2014 }}</ref> The couple married in 1986, and she converted to [[Hinduism]], the religion of her indigenous tribal husband whose [[Mising people|Mishing people]] live mostly in [[Upper Assam division|Upper Assam]] and [[Arunachal Pradesh]].<ref name=”performing”>{{Cite book|url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Performing_Representation/ouF1DwAAQBAJ?hl|title=Performing Representation: Women Members in the Indian Parliament|last1=Rai|first1=Shirin M.|last2=Spary|first2=Carole|year=2018|isbn=978-0199093854|page=140|publisher=[[OUP|OUP India]]}}</ref> Their marriage has repeatedly come under attack by supporters of the Asom Gana Parishad and the Bharatiya Janata Party, including conspiracy theories that she was a spy who persuaded her husband — an Asom Gana Parishad legislator — to join the Indian National Congress with her 1995, and that their marriage was a “coup against the first right-wing government of the state”.<ref name=”IT3″>{{cite web|last=Gupta|first=Shekhar|title=Assam CM P.K. Mahanta under attack from partymen, accused of dictatorial functioning|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19860630-assam-cm-pk-mahanta-under-attack-from-partymen-accused-of-dictatorial-functioning-801018-1986-06-29|publisher=[[India Today]]|date=30 June 1986|access-date=27 December 2025|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251227005512/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19860630-assam-cm-pk-mahanta-under-attack-from-partymen-accused-of-dictatorial-functioning-801018-1986-06-29|archive-date=27 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://search.worldcat.org/title/1013516459?oclcNum=1013516459|title=The last battle of Saraighat: the story of the BJP’s rise in the North-east|last1=Sethi|first1=Rajat|last2=Shubhrastha|first2=|year=2016|ISBN=978-0670090273|page=58|publisher=Akansha Publishing House}}</ref>

Narah — born as Jahanara Choudhary into an [[Assamese people|Assamese]] [[Islam|Muslim]] family in Guwahati’s Gandhibasti — is married to [[Bharat Narah]], a six-term [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|member]] of the [[Assam Legislative Assembly]], and former cabinet minister in the Assam government.<ref name=”HT1″/><ref name=”IT2″>{{cite web|title=Hereditary politics: Political families of India |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20040412-hereditary-politics-political-families-of-india-790707-2004-04-11 |publisher=[[India Today]] |date=12 April 2004 |access-date=28 October 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140126163713/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/hereditary-politics-political-families-of-india/1/196747.html |archive-date=26 January 2014 }}</ref> The couple married in 1986, and she converted to [[Hinduism]], the religion of her indigenous tribal husband whose [[Mising people|Mishing people]] live mostly in [[Upper Assam division|Upper Assam]] and [[Arunachal Pradesh]].<ref name=”performing”>{{Cite book|url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Performing_Representation/ouF1DwAAQBAJ?hl|title=Performing Representation: Women Members in the Indian Parliament|last1=Rai|first1=Shirin M.|last2=Spary|first2=Carole|year=2018|isbn=978-0199093854|page=140|publisher=[[OUP|OUP India]]}}</ref> Their marriage has repeatedly come under attack by supporters of the Asom Gana Parishad and the Bharatiya Janata Party, including conspiracy theories that she was a spy who persuaded her husband — an Asom Gana Parishad legislator — to join the Indian National Congress with her 1995, and that their marriage was a “coup against the first right-wing government of the state”.<ref name=”IT3″>{{cite web|last=Gupta|first=Shekhar|title=Assam CM P.K. Mahanta under attack from partymen, accused of dictatorial functioning|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19860630-assam-cm-pk-mahanta-under-attack-from-partymen-accused-of-dictatorial-functioning-801018-1986-06-29|publisher=[[India Today]]|date=30 June 1986|access-date=27 December 2025|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251227005512/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19860630-assam-cm-pk-mahanta-under-attack-from-partymen-accused-of-dictatorial-functioning-801018-1986-06-29|archive-date=27 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://search.worldcat.org/title/1013516459?oclcNum=1013516459|title=The last battle of Saraighat: the story of the BJP’s rise in the North-east|last1=Sethi|first1=Rajat|last2=Shubhrastha|first2=|year=2016|ISBN=978-0670090273|page=58|publisher=Akansha Publishing House}}</ref>

Latest revision as of 06:57, 31 January 2026

Indian politician

Ranee Narah (born 31 October 1965) is an Indian politician from Assam and a member of the Indian National Congress. She represented Assam as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, from 2016 to 2022. She also represented Lakhimpur in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament, from 1998 to 2004, and again from 2009 to 2014. Narah served as the Minister of State for Tribal Affairs in the Union Government of India from 2012 to 2014. She was also Deputy Chief Whip of the Congress Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha from 2009 to 2012.

Narah is a graduate of Gauhati University.[1] She played professional cricket and captained the Assam state team.[2] She served as the President of the Women’s Cricket Association of India and the President of the Assam Women’s Cricket Association.[3] After the Women’s Cricket Association of India disbanded in 2006, she became a member of the Board of Control for Cricket in India Women’s Committee.[4][5] She was also Vice-President of the Assam Cricket Association and the Assam Football Association.[6][7]

Narah joined the Asom Gana Parishad in 1988, and was elected General Secretary of the party’s women’s wing, the Asom Mahila Parishad.[8][9] She joined the Indian National Congress in 1995 after ideological disagreements with the Asom Gana Parishad leadership.[9][10] She was elected General Secretary and Vice President of the Assam Pradesh Youth Congress in 1996-1997.[11] She was elected President of the Assam Pradesh Youth Congress in 1998.[12] In 1998, she was elected also to the Lok Sabha from Lakhimpur constituency by defeating the Asom Gana Parishad candidate and incumbent, Arun Kumar Sarmah.[13] She was re-elected from Lakhimpur in 1999, defeating the Asom Gana Parishad candidate, Sarbananda Sonowal, who was the President of the All Assam Students’ Union.[14] She began lobbying for the construction of an airport at North Lakhimpur, which culminated in 2003 with the inauguration of Lilabari Airport.[15]

As Assam Pradesh Youth Congress President, Narah led an Assam Bandh in November 2000 demanding the imposition of President’s rule against the Asom Gana Parishad government of Chief Minister, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, whose party was a constituent member of the National Democratic Alliance federal government.[16] Between 1997 and 2001, the insurgency in Assam had led to 1548 deaths, including 333 security personnel. The mass-killings of Hindi-speaking migrants by the United Liberation Front of Assam became a catalyst for the bandh.[17][18] She was imprisoned by the Asom Gana Parishad government, and the federal government had to authorise military operations after another round of mass-killings in December 2000.[19][20] In 2003, Narah was elected to the National Council of the Indian Youth Congress.[21]

In 2004, Narah was nominated as the candidate for Lakhimpur despite opposition from the Indian National Congress Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, and many party MLA‘s in Lakhimpur constituency.[3][22][23] She lost the election to the Asom Gana Parishad candidate, Arun Kumar Sarmah, who was an incumbent Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament for Assam.[24][25] In 2009, Narah was nominated as the candidate for Lakhimpur despite opposition from the Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, and many party MLA’s in Lakhimpur constituency.[2][24][25][26][27] She won the election by defeating the Asom Gana Parishad candidate and incumbent, Arun Kumar Sarmah. After re-entering parliament in 2009, Narah was appointed Deputy Chief Whip of the Congress Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha.[28]

In 2012, Narah was inducted into the Union Cabinet of India as Minister of State in the Tribal Affairs ministry.[1] In 2013, Narah opposed the Subansiri Lower Dam Hydro Electric Project.[29] Much of Lakhimpur’s Bogibeel Bridge was completed by Indian Railways during Narah’s tenure’s as Member of Parliament from 1998 to 2004 and 2009 to 2014,[30][31][32] although project delays meant that the bridge was inaugurated in 2019.[33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43] In 2014, she lost her re-election campaign from Lakhimpur against the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate, Sarbananda Sonowal, who became the Chief Minister after the 2016 Assam Legislative Assembly election.[14][44] In 2016, Narah was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Assam, and represented the state until 2022.[45][46] In 2024, the Indian National Congress did not nominate Narah as the candidate from Lakhimpur.[47]

Narah — born as Jahanara Choudhary into an Assamese Muslim family in Guwahati’s Gandhibasti — is married to Bharat Narah, a six-term member of the Assam Legislative Assembly, and former cabinet minister in the Assam government.[2][48] The couple married in 1986, and she converted to Hinduism, the religion of her indigenous tribal husband whose Mishing people live mostly in Upper Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.[49] Their marriage has repeatedly come under attack by supporters of the Asom Gana Parishad and the Bharatiya Janata Party, including conspiracy theories that she was a spy who persuaded her husband — an Asom Gana Parishad legislator — to join the Indian National Congress with her 1995, and that their marriage was a “coup against the first right-wing government of the state”.[50][51]

  1. ^ a b Press Information Bureau (28 October 2012). “Sportsperson-turned-politician Narah gets ministerial berth”. Zee News. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  2. ^ a b c Karmakar, Rahul (26 March 2009). “Ex-cricketer clean bowls dissidence”. Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  3. ^ a b Das, Ripunjoy (21 April 2004). “Tiding over dissidence”. The Telegraph (India). Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  4. ^ Vasu, Anand (13 November 2006). “WCAI to be disbanded shortly”. ESPN Cricinfo. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  5. ^ Sharma, Deepika (13 November 2006). “Women’s game, BCCI empowered”. Hindustan Times. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  6. ^ Sport Reporter (10 November 2008). “Women footballers honoured”. The Assam Tribune. Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  7. ^ Staff Reporter (6 August 2012). “Dynamo Triumph”. Yahoo. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
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  9. ^ a b Prabha (1998). “New Face”. Rashtriya Sahara Vol. 6 (1-6). Sahara India. p. 36.
  10. ^ Press Trust of India (25 January 2013). “Ranee Narah takes charge as MoS for Tribal Affairs”. Business Standard. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  11. ^ Parliament of India (2021). “NARAH, SMT. RANEE”. Rajya Sabha Who’s Who 2020 (PDF). Rajya Sabha Secretariat. p. 310.
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  13. ^ Medhi, Pallabi; Goswami, Sandhya (2023). “Gender dynamics in electoral politics in Assam”. In Rajput, Pam; Thakkar, Usha (eds.). Women in State Politics in India: Missing in the Corridors of Power. Taylor & Francis. p. 234. ISBN 978-1000851618.
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  25. ^ a b Das, Ripunjoy (22 April 2009). “Dissidence muddies Cong hopes – Ranee Narah has her task cut out in Lakhimpur against Sarma & Pegu”. The Telegraph (India). Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  26. ^ Staff Reporter (12 March 2009). “Gogoi wins naming game”. The Telegraph (India). Retrieved 1 January 2026.
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  29. ^ Staff Reporter (7 February 2013). “Ranee Narah backs anti-dam stir”. Assam Tribune. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
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  49. ^ Rai, Shirin M.; Spary, Carole (2018). Performing Representation: Women Members in the Indian Parliament. OUP India. p. 140. ISBN 978-0199093854.
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