Smaller political organisations that are not part of Kerala’s three major coalitions – the Left Democratic Front (LDF), the United Democratic Front (UDF), and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) – are planning to make a mark in the upcoming elections to city Corporations, municipalities, and the three-tier panchayats where even a small number of votes can make or break the winning prospects of a candidate.
Twenty20 Kizhakkambalam, Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP), Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), Welfare Party of India (WPI), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and the All-India Trinamool Congress (AITC) are among the main players in this category who are all set to field their nominees in the two-phase elections scheduled on December 9 and 11.
Twenty20 Kizhakkambalam, launched as a non-profit charitable organisation backed by a major textile group in Ernakulam, came into prominence in 2015 when it grabbed power in the Kizhakkambalam grama panchayat. Five years later, the organisation gained control of the Aikkaranadu, Kunnathunadu, and Mazhuvannur grama panchayats as well. Twenty20 is reportedly planning to expand its wings to the Kochi Corporation and the Thrikkakkara, Maradu, and Aluva municipalities apart from contesting in more grama panchayats and district panchayat divisions in Ernakulam. It had formed a People’s Welfare Alliance with the AAP in 2022 to take on the other major political fronts.
