Thiruvananthapuram,22Jan (HS):

In a significant political development ahead of the upcoming elections in Kerala, the Twenty20 party of Kizhakkambalam has decided to join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The move was officially confirmed by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, president of the Kerala unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), during a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the alliance will be formally announced at a public event to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He added that Sabu M. Jacob, the convener of the Twenty20 Party, will also be present on the dais alongside the Prime Minister, underlining the political significance of the development.

Speaking at the press meet, Chandrasekhar described Twenty20 as a party that has demonstrated a clear commitment to development-oriented governance. He praised Sabu M. Jacob as a major employment generator in the state and said the NDA views the Twenty20 movement as an integral part of building a “Developed Kerala.”

According to him, the coming election would be decisive for the future direction of the state, and the NDA was keen to bring together all forces that believe in growth, investment, and efficient administration.

Chandrasekhar launched a sharp attack on the Left Democratic Front (LDF), alleging that the Left government, which has been in power for the past ten years, had caused extensive damage to Kerala’s development prospects. He expressed confidence that voters would rally behind the NDA’s vision of a prosperous and developed Kerala in the upcoming polls, and said all NDA partners would work in unison to achieve this goal.

The Twenty20 party’s decision marks a major shift in Kerala’s political landscape. Sabu M. Jacob and his movement had been openly at odds with the state government for several years. In the previous local body elections, Twenty20 chose to contest independently, positioning itself against the United Democratic Front (UDF), the LDF, and the NDA.

The party registered notable success by capturing power in Kizhakkambalam and three other panchayats in Ernakulam district, establishing itself as a formidable grassroots force.

With Twenty20 now aligning with the NDA, political observers expect the alliance to significantly alter electoral equations in central Kerala, particularly in regions where development-centric local governance has strong appeal.

Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman