Twenty20 signals major strategy shift, open doors to potential alliance with fronts in Assembly polls

In a major shift in political strategy since its formation more than a decade ago, Twenty20, Kitex Group-backed political outfit, has opened its doors to potential alliances with any of the three major fronts in the coming Assembly election.

Speaking to The Hindu, Sabu M. Jacob, chief coordinator of the party, said that no front would be considered untouchable as long as an ideal alliance deal that allowed the outfit to retain its identity was on the table. He claimed that all the three fronts — Left Democratic Front (LDF), United Democratic Front (UDF), and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) — are in touch with the party.

“We decided to revisit our political strategy after 90% of our members favoured an alliance with any of the major political fronts. There are no permanent foes in politics, as the formation and subsequent breakup of the INDIA alliance and the Mahagathbandhan at the Centre proved. A good deal to further our political future will be considered. Even in the last local body polls, the UDF and the LDF joined hands to fight us,” Mr. Jacob said.

Twenty20 has had constant confrontations with other fronts, especially the LDF, over the past decade, with Mr. Jacob’s feud with P.V. Sreenijin, LDF MLA from the Kunnathunadu Assembly constituency, particularly well documented. But that, he said, would not stand in the way of a potential alliance.

However, if an ideal deal was not forthcoming, the party was considering contesting alone in 50 seats, particularly in central Kerala districts — Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam, Thrissur, Alappuzha, and Pathanamthitta — as well as in Palakkad. “In the 2021 Assembly election, we contested eight seats in Ernakulam and polled 15.30% of the votes despite going alone,” Mr. Jacob said.

In the recently held local body polls, Twenty20 lost power in two panchayats — Kunnathunadu and Mazhuvannoor — and faced a near washout in Kochi Corporation, where it contested nearly 50 seats. However, the outfit managed to add Thiruvaniyoor and Poothrikka panchayats to Kizhakkambalam and Aikkaranadu, where it retained power.

Mr. Jacob, however, declined to count this as a setback, choosing instead to look at the brighter side. “After the major parties — CPI(M), Congress, CPI, BJP, and Indian Union Muslim League — we are the party with the most number of seats despite contesting alone. We contested in 880 seats and secured 12% of the vote share,” he said.