KANNIYAKUMARI: In a significant political shift after more than six decades, the Congress has fielded a candidate from the fishing community in the Colachel constituency, a region with a substantial fisher population. The party has denied ticket to three-time MLA JG Prince and instead fielded Tharahai Cuthbert, who belongs to the Roman Catholic fisher community.
She had earlier won the Vilavancode Assembly by-election in 2024. “If elected, I will prioritise basic amenities and work towards making Colachel the number one constituency,” Cuthbert told TNIE.
Interestingly in 1957, veteran leader Lourdammal Simon emerged victorious from Colachel and went on to become the state’s first woman minister in the cabinet of former chief minister K Kamaraj.
Though she contested again in 1962, she suffered defeat. Since then, the party has not fielded a candidate from the fishing community here. South Asian Fishermen Fraternity (SAFF) general secretary A Churchil said, “ If she [Cuthbert] is elected, our voice would be heard in the Assembly.”
Colachel is witnessing a four-way fight, with the BJP fielding T Sivakumar from the Hindu Nadar community, while TVK has nominated Prem Alex Lawrence and NTK has fielded Ancy Shoba Rani, both from the Christian Nadar community. The seat has been a Congress stronghold, with the party winning the last four Assembly elections. The BJP, which has contested multiple times, is yet to secure a victory here.