Nandita Garlosa: From Assam cabinet minister to Congress candidate in 2026 poll battle

NAndita Garlosa is a leader from Assam who has represented the Haflong assemblage Constituency in the Assam Legislative gathering since 2021. She has served as a locker regime minister in the Assam government representing Bhartiya Janta Party.Background:Nandita Garlosa was born in 1977 in Haflong, Assam. She completed her M.Sc. In Zoology from Cotton College, Guwahati. Before becoming an MLA, she was involved in organisational and party-level politics in Assam and gradually became active in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), particularly in the Dima Hasao region.She represents the Haflong constituency in the Assam Legislative Assembly since 2021.During her ministerial tenure in the Assam government from 2022 to 2026 under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Nandita Garlosa handled multiple portfolios across different periods. She served as Minister for Mines and Minerals (2022–2023) and held charge of Power, Co-operation, and Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture (including Archaeology) (2022–2024). Later, she was assigned Sports and Youth Welfare (2023–2026), followed by Welfare of Minorities and Development (2024–2026). She also oversaw the Public Works Department (Buildings and National Highways) (2024–2025). These responsibilities placed her in charge of key areas such as infrastructure development, tribal and cultural affairs, welfare schemes, sports administration, and resource management in Assam.However, she left the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in March 2026 after being denied candidature and subsequently joined the Indian National Congress (INC).About the constituencyThe Haflong Assembly Constituency is located in the Dima Hasao district of Assam and is a tribal-reserved seat. It is part of an autonomous hill region under the North Cachar Hills (Dima Hasao) Autonomous Council, which gives it a distinct administrative and political structure compared to plain districts of Assam.The constituency has a predominantly tribal population, with multiple indigenous communities living in the region. Because of its hill geography, development issues such as road connectivity, healthcare access, education infrastructure, and employment opportunities remain central to electoral politics. The area is also sensitive to landslides, difficult terrain, and limited transport connectivity, which makes infrastructure development a key political demand.What happened in previous elections?In the 2011 Assam Legislative Assembly election, the seat was won by Bir Bhadra Hagjer, who represented the constituency before 2021. He retained influence in the region and remained a key political figure in Haflong for the next decade.In the 2016 Assam Legislative Assembly election, Bir Bhadra Hagjer again won the Haflong seat, continuing his representation of the constituency and maintaining the position for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-aligned political space in the region.In the 2021 Assam Legislative Assembly election, the seat shifted when Nandita Garlosa contested as a BJP candidate and defeated the sitting MLA Bir Bhadra Hagjer, marking a change in representation after a long period under him.