THRISSUR: Varghese George, son-in-law of former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, will contest the upcoming Assembly election from Kodungallur as a Twenty20 candidate, marking a politically significant entry from a family closely associated with the Congress.
Through the move, Twenty20, backed by the Kitex Group and aligned with the BJP-led NDA, seeks to expand its presence in the coastal constituency, long considered a Left stronghold, officials said.
A former CEO of Emaar Infrastructure in Dubai, Varghese, returned to Kerala after Oommen Chandy’s demise and has since become active in local politics.
Though he joined Twenty20 in 2021, he began grassroots engagement only during the last Lok Sabha election, including coordinating the campaign of party candidate Charly Paul in Kodungallur.
Positioning his candidature as a development-driven alternative, Varghese alleged that Kodungallur has been “denied its fair share of development” over the past decade. He criticised the sitting leadership, claiming electoral victories were sustained more by legacy than performance, and flagged persistent issues such as drinking water scarcity. Contrasting Twenty20’s approach with that of traditional parties, he said the outfit focuses on addressing basic civic needs, including housing and water supply, rather than “larger political narratives.”
While Kodungallur has remained a Left bastion, recent local body polls saw the UDF gaining ground in four panchayats within the constituency, indicating a possible churn in voter sentiment.
Downplaying any political divergence within the family, Varghese said his public life was never a subject of discussion at home, even during Oommen Chandy’s lifetime.
Noting his own mixed political lineage—with a Communist grandfather and ties to a Congress family through marriage—he framed his candidature as an independent political choice.
On speculation over his wife Maria Oommen entering the fray as a Congress candidate, he said the decision rests entirely with the party leadership.