Tharahai Cuthbert appointed Congress Legislature Party leader in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: Tharahai Cuthbert has been appointed as the new Congress Legislature Party leader in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, following the elevation of former floor leader S Rajeshkumar as a minister in the TVK-led State government.

She is the second female leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in the history of the TNCC. The first one was D Yasodha, though she was promoted to the position after the death of the then CLP leader, while Tharahai is the first to be directly appointed.

An entrepreneur-turned-MLA, Tharahai represents the Colachel constituency and previously won the Vilavancode assembly seat bypoll after S Vijayadharani crossed over to the BJP.

The change has come after Killiyoor MLA S Rajeshkumar, who was earlier heading the Congress Legislature Party in the Assembly, joined the newly formed TVK-led Cabinet as Tourism Minister. With Rajeshkumar taking up the ministerial responsibility, the Congress leadership has reconstituted its legislative wing in the Assembly and appointed new office bearers.

According to the appointment announced by Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president B Manickam Tagore, Jamal Mohamed Younoos has been appointed deputy CLP leader, while TT Praveen has been named CLP secretary. The appointments were made after obtaining approval from All India Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge, according to a party statement.