CSR arm of the Kitex group to enter poll fray; may field chairman Sabu in Chalakkudy
KOCHI : Twenty20, the CSR arm of the Kitex group, which tasted success in the last local body elections winning 17 out of the 19 wards in Kizhakkambalam panchayat, has decided to field a strong candidate in the Chalakkudy Lok Sabha constituency, triggering speculation that the company’s chairman Sabu Jacob himself will enter the poll fray. “We held our convention on Sunday to decide our stance in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. There was a strong feeling among the members that we should field our candidate, and that it should be a strong candidate, who will be fighting to win the election, and not just to make a point,” Sabu told ‘Express’.
He said the members, who participated in the convention, were asked which party should they vote for in Chalakkudy, the Lok Sabha constituency where Kizhakkambalam panchayat falls. “No one raised their hands for the LDF or the UDF. Some 25 people raised their hands for BJP, and about 10 per cent of the participants raised their hands for NOTA,” he said.
“The emotional response of the people surprised and overwhelmed me,” Sabu said. The families in Kizhakkambalam, who were once staunch supporters of the Communists and the Congress had abandoned their respective political parties to join Twenty20, an initiative by Kitex to make the panchayat the best in the country by 2020.
The Kizhakkambalam panchayat has about 28,000 votes. In the last Panchayat election in 2016, Twenty20 received 70-80 per cent votes. “That was three years back. Now we have a proven track record -- fulfilling the promise, which means the votes will increase,” Sabu reckoned. Twenty20 is banking on the support from the neighbouring panchayats and the goodwill of the people there following the relief work it has done after last August’s flood.
Post the floods, the volunteers of Twenty20 conducted extensive relief works in panchayats such as Kunnukara, Puthenvelikkara, Kottuvally, Alangadu, Nedumbassery, Srimulanagaram, Malayattoor and Chendamangalam. “We did the flood relief in the most affected areas in Ernakulam,” he said, adding that families in neighbouring panchayats are also keen to join the movement. “People are fed up with politicians and political parties,” he said.
Ready to start a new innings
The Kizhakkambalam panchayat has about 28,000 votes. Twenty20 is banking on the support from the neighbouring panchayats following the relief work it has done after last August’s flood.