Twenty20 is contesting the forthcoming local body polls against the Left and Right fronts, a collective of 25 parties akin to ‘Kuruva’ robber gangs, alleged party president Sabu M. Jacob.
Addressing a press conference at his party headquarters in Kizhakkambalam, Mr. Jacob said that national parties, including the Congress and the CPI(M), were fully invested in resisting the decade-old Twenty20.
When Congress MP Benny Behanan was challenged, it was CPI(M) MLA P.V. Sreenijin who responded. The sole agenda of these parties, he alleged, was usurping the public tax money through officials and contractors.
Mr. Behanan had recently alleged that Kizhakkambalam panchayat did not have savings of ₹32 crore as claimed by Twenty20, which rules the panchayat, and that it had failed to utilise the Plan fund. Mr. Jacob dismissed the allegation by releasing what he claimed were the audit reports since 2022.
The audit reports revealed that except for a loss of ₹18,600 caused by the panchayat secretary in tax collection during 2025, there had been no loss in the utilisation of funds — including Plan funds, own funds, Central funds, and combined funds — between 2022 and 2025, he claimed. Mr. Jacob also released what he said were proof of savings of ₹32 crore in various bank accounts following the 10-year governance of the panchayat by Twenty20. Annual plans worth ₹212 crore have been implemented in the panchayat over the past five years.
This time, the party is contesting in the Kochi Corporation and Maradu, Thripunithura and Thrikkakara municipalities, as well as in local bodies stretching from Pathanapuram in Kollam district to Muthalamada in Palakkad. A total of 880 candidates of the party are in the fray, though many candidates backed out following alleged threats by CPI(M) and Congress leaders, including the Opposition Leader, Mr. Jacob said.
Published – December 06, 2025 08:01 pm IST
