Twenty20 Joins NDA: Rajeev Chandrasekhar Confirms, Sparks Political Row

Thiruvananthapuram: The political party Twenty20, led by Kitex Group owner Sabu Jacob, has joined the NDA alliance. The announcement was made at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram by BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Twenty20 chairman Sabu Jacob. Rajeev Chandrasekhar said an official declaration will be made at the program attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.

Sabu Jacob stated that the party decided to align with the BJP-led NDA to bring about change in Kerala. He said there would be no conflicts with any NDA constituents and described the decision as a crucial one in his life.

Reacting sharply, Kunnathunadu MLA P V Sreenijin said that a party which once championed apolitical governance must now answer its supporters for joining the Sangh Parivar. He alleged that Sabu Jacob lacks a broader ideological vision beyond business interests. Sreenijin also questioned whether the Ernakulam District Congress Committee (DCC) is prepared to demand the resignation of the president in the Congress-ruled Puthenkurish Panchayat, which is supported by Twenty20.

The entry of Twenty20 into the NDA had been the subject of speculation for a long time. Earlier, several senior leaders of the party had resigned, alleging that Twenty20 was positioned as a tool for the Sangh Parivar to gain a foothold in Kerala.

Twenty20 suffered a major setback in the recent local body elections. Of the four panchayats it previously controlled, it managed to retain only Kizhakkambalam and Aikkaranadu, losing two panchayats, two district panchayat divisions, and one block panchayat division. The party lost ground in Kizhakkambalam, Kunnathunadu, Aikkaranadu, and Mazhuvannoor panchayats.

In the Puthenkurish District Panchayat division, the LDF registered a decisive victory, pushing Twenty20 to second place. The party also lost its hold over the Kolenchery District Panchayat and Vadavukode Block Panchayat divisions. Of the 14 block panchayat divisions, both the UDF and LDF won five seats each.

Twenty20 had fielded candidates in all municipalities in the district and in the Kochi Corporation. Allegations of authoritarian functioning, corruption, mismanagement, and wastage of development funds in areas governed by the party led to public backlash. The LDF had conducted protests, highlighting administrative failures and governance lapses in Twenty20-ruled regions.