The Twenty20 party has officially confirmed that it is joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections
Kochi: Sabu Jacob’s Twenty20 party has officially joined the NDA. Discussions between Twenty20 president and coordinator Sabu M Jacob and BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar took place at Mararji Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday.
This marks the first time Twenty20, backed by the Kitex Group, will participate in a major political alliance since its formation. The move reflects a significant strategic shift from the party’s earlier independent approach. Jacob said the decision aims to strengthen the party’s presence in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections.
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Twenty20, which previously contested elections on its own, has retained influence in parts of eastern Ernakulam and surrounding districts. However, the 2025 local body elections exposed the challenges of contesting independently. The party lost control of panchayats in Kunnathunad and Mazhuvannur and failed to win seats in the Kochi Corporation.
With NDA support, Twenty20 plans to contest select constituencies while leveraging coalition resources in others. The party’s strongholds include Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Thrissur districts.
The announcement comes as Kerala’s political environment heats up ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. By joining the NDA, Twenty20 becomes part of one of the state’s three major political blocks.
Published: 22 Jan 2026, 03:23 pm IST
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