KANNIYAKUMARI: Congress candidate Tharahai Cuthbert, who contested from Vilavancode in the assembly bypoll, emerged victorious with a margin of 40,174 votes. Cuthbert beat the BJP’s VS Nanthini and continued to hold the Congress’ bastion for the 4th consecutive term.
The bypoll Vilavancode assembly constituency was necessitated following the resignation of three-term Congress MLA S Vijayadharani, who had defected to the BJP in February. Congress had fielded Cuthbert (47), its state general secretary, while the AIADMK’s U Rani and NTK’s R Jemini were also in the race. A total of 10 candidates contested the bypoll.
Of the 1,57,776 polled votes,Cuthbert garnered 91,054 votes while Nanthini got 50,880 votes. Currently, the Congress is in power in three assembly constituencies in the district, along with Colachel and Killiyoor.
After a long time, a person from the fishers’ community clinched the MLA post in Kanniyakumari district.