Kozhikode: The Twenty20 party, a political outfit backed by garment manufacturing giant Kitex Garments, Thursday joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in poll-bound Kerala.
Kitex Group managing director Sabu M.Jacob and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar made the announcement at a joint press conference in Thiruvananthapuram.
The formal entry will take place Friday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is visiting the state capital.
Announcing the decision, Sabu said the decision to join the NDA was taken after much thought. “We had a concern about how much we can do as a single force. But in the last local body polls, an alliance of LDF (Left Democratic Front), UDF (United Democratic Front) and other parties was formed to defeat us. That shows how they are scared of us.”
The party, he said, was able to retain two panchayats and get many seats, though it lost two other panchayats it held. He claimed that the Twenty20 party increased its vote share by 3 percent.
Launched in 2013 as a corporate social responsibility initiative, the Ernakulam headquartered-party won the Kizhakkambalam gram panchayat by securing 17 of the 19 seats in its debut poll in 2015. It claims to be driven by “politics of welfare and transparent governance”, with a focus on offering subsidies and basic infrastructure.
In the 2020 local body elections, it retained Kizhakkambalam and won three more panchayats—Aikaranad, Kunnathunad and Mazhuvannoor—in Ernakulam district, apart from becoming a force in Vengola panchayat. However, the party retained only Kizhakkambalam and Aikaranad in 2025.
In 2022, the party formed the People’s Welfare Alliance (PWA) with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), but they parted ways the next year.
Sabu said the decision to join the NDA was taken to bring a Viksit Kerala (developed Kerala) along with the BJP.
“I am not a politician, I am a businessman. The reason for me to join politics was because I wanted to bring a change here in the state, which was looted by the LDF and UDF,” he said, adding that the party over a decade has contributed to Kerala’s welfare and development, especially in ensuring food security.
Chandrasekhar said the new ally’s view of developed states, protection of faith, and a safe Kerala aligned with the NDA’s vision.
“The people know that the NDA is the only alliance that works for the development of the state. Twenty20, as we know, has been practising development of the people. And, Sabu ji is a job creator and we respect his business. But, he was forced to go to another state,” he said, adding that the local people need him to continue business in Kerala.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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