Kochi's Chellanam 20-20 suffers collective meltdown after success in last poll

KOCHI: In the local body elections of 2020, Chellanam, a coastal village in Kochi, saw a unique collective gaining traction. Declaring an all-out war against all mainstream political parties, a WhatsApp collective that grew into a political party contested the elections and snatched power. Fast forward to 2025, Chellanam 20-20 is nowhere to be seen. The aspiring collective has lost ground and support, and matters have come to such pass that is it not contesting the elections this year. The attrition within the party defection of members and disintegration has led to the decline of the collective. Formed as a volunteering group during the Covid surge, like-minded residents of the village engaged in a daily battle with a battering sea, contested the ensuing local body elections, surprising all major fronts. Campaigning through social media and gathering support, Chellanam 20-20 contested in all 21 wards of the panchayat, winning eight seats. The collective has not held any activities or meetings under the party banner in the last few years. After snatching power in the panchayat, and losing it later in a no-confidence motion, the party has technically ceased to come together, said Simal Antony, who had won from ward 7 (Police Station ward) under the Chellanam 20-20 banner. Coming to this years elections, none of us who won last time as part of the collective is planning to contest, he added. Since the last civic polls, Chellanam panchayat has seen a dramatic turn of events and multiple presidents being sworn in. The LDF, with a clear majority under CPMs K D Prasad as its president, ruled the local body till October 2021 (for around 9 months). But the front was ousted after eight Chellanam 20-20 members and four UDF members voted in favour of the no-confidence motion. The change saw the UDF-Chellanam 20-20 alliance gaining power in the local body with the collectives K L Joseph becoming the panchayat president. Shortly afterwards, two members of the party -- Joseph and member Mary Simla -- defected to the LDF, and the alliance lost majority. The party disintegrated gradually and ceased operations completely. Chellanam 20-20 had joined hands with the successful collective of Kizhakkambalam Twenty20 in the last Lok Sabha polls, but its members told TNIE that there was no merger of the two apolitical parties.