Kerala Local Body Election: There is always something unique happening in Kerala politics. There are experiments which are adopted and discussed at the national level. Something similar has happened this time in Kerala also. Elections are to be held for local bodies in the state. Before that an interesting political incident had happened. Congress, CPI(M) and BJP have decided to contest the elections unitedly. Now the question arises that what happened that the three diametrically opposed parties came together? Under normal circumstances it seems impossible to even think about it, but this is what happened.
This time a unique equation is being seen in Kerala politics. Congress, CPI(M) and BJP (all three rival parties) have come together to stop the rapidly growing influence of Twenty20, the political arm of Kitex Group based near Kochi. In the local body elections to be held on 9 and 11 December, these parties have fielded common independent candidates in Kizhakkambalam, so that the corporate-backed party can be challenged. Twenty20 was started in 2013 by Kitex Group as a CSR program. The objective was – development of Kizhakkambalam village, where the company’s large garment unit is located. In 2015, this group won the Panchayat elections for the first time and in 2020 it captured three more Panchayats.
Why did the parties panic?
Now the question arises that why are the three big parties of Kerala nervous? This time the organization is contesting elections in 48 panchayats, Kochi Municipal Corporation, three municipalities and several districts. In some Panchayats they have candidates on all the seats. All the candidates in Poothrikka Panchayat are women. Along with CPI(M), BJP and Congress are scared of this planning of Twenty20. Sabu M Jacob, president of Twenty20 and MD of Kitex, says his party has ended corruption in four panchayats and saved about Rs 50 crore. The food safety market in Kizhakkambalam, which offered goods at 50% subsidy, brought great popularity to the party. However, before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, this market was closed on the complaint of big political parties.
Status of 21 seats of Kizhakkambalam Panchayat
- Congress only 2 seats
- CPI(M) on 1 seat
- BJP on 2 seats
- Independent candidates share the rest
Why are people kind?
According to the report of ‘Indian Express’, Sabu has promised that using the surplus amount of Rs 50 crore of Panchayats, people will be given 25% subsidy on electricity and gas bills. He says that the state government did not approve the plan, after which the matter has gone to the High Court. CPI(M) alleges that Twenty20 is influencing people in the name of CSR. Congress alleges that Sabu is taking advantage of poverty and doing politics by giving freebies. BJP says that the party has a strong hold on subsidy schemes among women, hence they have less candidates.
What is the side of Twenty20 party?
Sabu rejects all the allegations and says that Kitex’s annual CSR fund is only Rs 2.5 crore and the question of its misuse does not arise. They claim that in the last 5 years the government has raided and investigated their four panchayats 84 times, but no irregularities were found. Sabu accused the major parties that they want to stop Twenty20 by forming an alliance of 25 parties with SDPI and Welfare Party. He also said that the parties are eyeing the Panchayat’s surplus fund of Rs 32 crore.
Interesting contest in elections
Twenty20’s election symbol is mango, but this time many independent candidates contesting against it are also in the fray with different fruit symbols, which has made the contest more interesting. Overall, the growing influence of Twenty20, the political arm of Kitex Group, has given a new twist to the traditional politics of Kerala. Now it remains to be seen whether the joint strategy of the three big parties will be able to stop this corporate-backed model or whether Twenty20 succeeds in expanding its influence.
