Tharahai Cuthbert
Tharahai Cuthbert
CONGMLA · Colachal- Constituency
- Colachal · AC 231
- District
- Kanniyakumari
- Party
- Indian National Congress
- Profession
- Politician (MLA 2024-26 Vilavancode, MLA 2026- Colachal); proprietor of Taraz Readymade Garments and Uniform Manufacturing Unit
- 2026 result
- won by 2,833 votes
- Education
- Ph.D. From Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Year-2020 & MBA From Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Year-2008
At a glance
Education
- 2008MBA, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai
- 2020Ph.D., Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli
ECI affidavit (2026)
0 pending criminal cases declared in the 2026 ECI affidavit. Total declared assets: ₹4.51 cr.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Total declared assets | ₹4.51 cr |
| Liabilities | ₹41.22 L |
Career timeline
- Pre-2024Long-standing AICC member; General Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC); runs a uniform-manufacturing business out of Kanniyakumari district.
- Apr 2024Wins Vilavancode by-election by 40,174 votes over BJP's Nanthini V. S. — a high-profile by-election that drew national attention.
- 23 Apr 2026Wins Colachal (AC 231) — moving from the bordering Vilavancode seat she had held since 2024 into the coastal-Christian belt's marquee Colachal constituency.
- May 2026Continues as Congress floor presence inside the TVK-led alliance bloc.
The 2026 win — Colachal
Tharahai Cuthbert polled 66,207 votes, defeating Prem Alex Lawrence (TVK) by a margin of 2,833.
| # | Candidate | Party | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tharahai Cuthbert | CONG | 66,207 |
| 2 | Prem Alex Lawrence | TVK | 63,374 |
| 3 | Sivakumar . T | BJP | 54,384 |
| 4 | Ancy Shoba Rani . L | NTK | 12,458 |
| 5 | Nota | NOTA | 581 |
→ Full Colachal (AC 231) seat page · district: Kanniyakumari
Family
S/o · D/o · W/o J.G. Cuthbert. Spouse: Nil.
Party & ideology
Tharahai Cuthbert's politics is anchored in the Congress tradition with a strong Kanniyakumari Christian community footprint — a region where the BJP and INC compete fiercely for minority Christian votes. Her two consecutive wins (2024 by-election + 2026 general) make her one of the small group of Congress MLAs riding into the 16th Assembly, and the only Christian woman MLA from the southern district. Inside Congress she is part of the TNCC executive — the body that delivered Congress's pivot from DMK to TVK on 6 May 2026.
Official channels
FAQ
Who is Tharahai Cuthbert?
Two-term Congress MLA from Kanniyakumari district. Won the Vilavancode by-election in April 2024 (margin 40,174) and Colachal in the 2026 general election. AICC member and TNCC General Secretary. Educated to PhD level.
Why did she switch from Vilavancode to Colachal?
Vilavancode and Colachal are neighbouring constituencies in Kanniyakumari district. The 2026 candidacy decisions were part of the broader Congress reshuffle that culminated in the 6 May 2026 Congress-to-TVK pivot. Vilavancode in 2026 was won by another Congress candidate, Praveen T.T.
What is the 2024 Vilavancode by-election?
A high-profile constituency by-election in April 2024 in Kanniyakumari district. Tharahai Cuthbert won it for Congress by 40,174 votes — a marquee result that anchored her as a rising INC face in southern Tamil Nadu.
What is her professional background?
Beyond politics, she runs Taraz Readymade Garments and Uniform Manufacturing Unit. Her academic record is unusual for an MLA — MBA (2008) plus a PhD (2020) from Manonmaniam Sundaranar University.
Sources
- Wikipedia · Tharahai Cuthbert — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tharahai_Cuthbert
- PRS India · MLA Track — https://prsindia.org/mlatrack/tharahai-cuthbert
- Tharahai Cuthbert myneta affidavit (2026) — https://myneta.info/TamilNadu2026/candidate.php?candidate_id=1388
- Oneindia · Colachal 2026 results — https://www.oneindia.com/colachel-assembly-elections-tn-231/
- Election Commission of India · TN 2026 — https://results.eci.gov.in/ResultAcGenMay2026/