Home and away Can Twenty20 up its game?

KOCHI: When Twenty20 swept 17 of 19 seats in Kizhakkambalam grama panchayat in 2015 barely two years after its formation it was seen as a political anomaly. This corporate-backed civic experiment had unexpectedly evolved into a hyperlocal movement. Its subsidised Bhakshya Suraksha Market, welfare and infrastructure interventions, and the much-discussed Gods villas seemed to signal a new model of local governance, one that voters rewarded again in 2020. That election also marked the partys first major expansion: it retained Kizhakkambalam and extended influence to three neighbouring panchayats Aikaranad, Mazhuvannoor, and Kunnathunad. Now, a decade into its dramatic entry, Twenty20 is attempting its most ambitious leap yet. The party has announced plans to contest in 55 local bodies, including key municipalities such as Maradu, Tripunithura, and Thrikkakara, as well as Kochi corporation. The pitch is clear: Positioning itself as the alternative for voters tired of the traditional UDF-LDF binary. But can a hyperlocal movement built around a corporate ecosystem scale into a statewide political force? Political observers say the answer is almost certainly no. In the beginning, the party had possibilities. But it could not keep up with its promises. The founders political statements affected its image as an independent force. The party does not have a clear roadmap or agenda to grow in Kerala, and many early leaders have left, said senior journalist and political analyst M G Radhakrishnan. The party has selected panchayats across Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, and Ernakulam, where it currently holds two district panchayat seats, to further its ambitions. But analysts argue that geographical spread alone does not guarantee political depth. According to Dr D Dhanuraj, founder of the Centre for Public Policy Research, a Kochi-based think tank, expansion beyond a local cluster requires the organisational muscle of alliances. In Kunnathunad and nearby areas, Twenty20 can operate independently. But to win assembly or Lok Sabha seats, you need a strong institutional framework, clear policies, and committed cadre. That is a continuous and long-term process, he said. Twenty20s immediate impact, however, cannot be dismissed. In the 2021 assembly election, it contested eight seats in Ernakulam and significantly dented the UDFs prospects in Kunnathunad, Kochi, Kothamangalam, and Vypeen. Its founder, Sabu Jacob, maintains that Twenty20 is the only force willing to address chronic civic failures. LDF and UDF have failed to tackle even basic issues like mosquito menace, waterlogging, drinking water scarcity, waste disposal, and traffic congestion. These are areas ripe for corruption, which is why established parties hesitate. Only Twenty20 can take these issues head-on, he earlier told TNIE. But even Sabu acknowledges setbacks. The Kitex Groups decision not to invest further in Kerala, he admits, curtailed the states development potential a move widely seen as politically charged. Political observers unanimously agree: Twenty20 may retain Kizhakkambalam and its neighbouring strongholds, and may even snatch a few more local bodies. But a pan-Kerala presence remains unlikely. They may win in pockets. But expanding even within Ernakulam -- let alone the state is going to be difficult, Radhakrishnan said. Dhanuraj echoed this point, noting that the partys influence is heavily concentrated. People in panchayats around Kizhakkambalam may elect them. But building presence in districts where they have no history or local grounding is an entirely different challenge, he said. As Kerala heads into local body elections, Twenty20 appears poised to disrupt and potentially spoil the prospects of the major fronts, particularly the UDF. But the broader question remains: Is it an emerging political alternative or simply a hyperlocal outlier with limited room to grow? For now, analysts say its future is firmly tied to where it began: Kizhakkambalam and its immediate neighbourhood. In a league of its own Twenty20s performance over the previous two local-body elections in Kizhakkambalam and neighbouring panchayats Local body Seats won /total seats Kizhakkambalam 17/19 Kizhakkambalam 18/19 Aikaranad 14/14 Mazhuvannoor 14/19 Kunnathunad 11/18