The Kerala-based political party, Twenty20, led by Kitex Garments MD Sabu M. Jacob, joined the NDA fold, ahead of the assembly elections in the state. The move comes a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to kickstart the BJP's election campaign in Kerala and Tamil Nadu on Friday.
Jacob held discussions with BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar and later announced the decision at a joint press conference in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday.
The party leadership cited the need for a change in Kerala's political culture and governance as the reason to end its political isolation and join the NDA fold. "We discussed and decided to join hands with the NDA and Modi ji to bring changes in Kerala," Jacob said, reported news agency PTI.
He said he entered politics by forming Twenty20 due to what he described as "misgovernance and corruption" under both the LDF and the UDF. He said several welfare schemes, including food security initiatives, were implemented in the panchayats governed by Twenty20, which currently has a presence in four panchayats, mainly in Ernakulam district.
Recalling the local body elections, Jacob alleged that the Congress, CPI(M) and several other parties had formed an alliance to defeat Twenty20. "For the first time, both the LDF and UDF did not contest under their party symbols to face us," he claimed.
He said he held discussions with different political parties before deciding to join the NDA.
Alleging that the state was facing a serious crisis after years of rule by the UDF and LDF, he said standing alone had made it difficult to continue development and welfare activities. "This move is against parties that are trying to destroy the country and also against attempts to eliminate Twenty20 politically," he said.
Chandrasekhar said the formal inclusion of Twenty20 into the NDA would be announced at an event to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. The BJP leader said the NDA was aiming to bring a change in the political culture of the state, which he alleged had been adversely affected over the years. "Only the NDA can bring such a change."
Modi will be in Thiruvananthapuram for an official programme to launch and lay foundation stones for development projects and flag off new trains.
