Twenty20 unveils Ernakulam, Chalakkudy candidates for 2024 elections

Jacob asserted that their focus remains steadfast on earning the trust of the state’s populace through tangible progress.

| Updated: 26 February, 2024 1:08 pm IST

Loksabha 2024 : Twenty20 announces candidates for Ernakulam and Chalakkudy constituencies

ERNAKULAM: In a pre-emptive move ahead of the mainstream political parties, regional outfit ‘Twenty20’ has unveiled its candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, allocating Advocate Charley Paul for the Chalakkudy constituency and Advocate Jude Antony for the prestigious Ernakulam constituency.

Addressing a public gathering at Kizhakkambalam in Ernakulam, party state president Sabu M Jacob reiterated their commitment solely to public welfare and development, dispelling rumours of aligning with NDA or any other major political entity. Jacob asserted that their focus remains steadfast on earning the trust of the state’s populace through tangible progress.

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In his scathing critique of former LDF and UDF MPs from the Chalakkudy constituency, Jacob lambasted their purported lack of substantive action beyond the installation of high-mast lights. He pledged that Twenty20 would showcase the transformative potential an MP holds for a constituency, emphasizing the party’s resolve to fulfil its promises outlined in the manifesto.

Advocate Charley, erstwhile state spokesperson of the ‘Madhya Virudha Samithi’ and former general secretary of the Ernakulam – Angamali archdiocese pastoral council, brings a wealth of experience to the political fray.

Meanwhile, Antony Jude, previously serving as the Indian Catholic Youth Movement national president and secretary, bolsters the ticket with his involvement in the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in December 2023.

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The relationship between Twenty20 and CPI(M), its primary adversary in Kizhakkambalam, has historically been fraught with tension, marked by instances of violence against Twenty20 activists over local disputes.

Earlier this year, industrialist-turned-politician Sabu M Jacob found himself embroiled in controversy, facing allegations of making derogatory remarks against a CPI(M) MLA during a party event, resulting in a police case registered under IPC Section 153A.

Twenty20 Kizhakkambalam, an offshoot of the Anna Kitex group’s non-profit charitable endeavours, initially emerged as a dominant force in local governance, securing a significant victory in the 2015 Grama Panchayat elections. Evolving into a political entity, the organization expanded its footprint, clinching four grama panchayats in the 2020 polls.