Internal discord erupts in Twenty20 over alliance with NDA, a section to join Congress

KOCHI: Reports say that an internal discord has erupted in Twenty20 over their alliance with the NDA. It is heard that a section of Twenty20 leaders and activists in Ernakulam are all set to join the Congress. The criticism is that the decision to enter the NDA was taken unilaterally by Twenty20 party chairman Sabu M Jacob reducing the local leadership and party workers to mere spectators.

Sabu M Jacob had reacted to the Twenty20 representatives leaving the party. 'It happens in every party. When a decision is taken ideologically, one or two percent will go and that will not affect the party. When one or two percent go, ten or a hundred will come back. The majority of people supported the decision. Let the people decide whether there is business interest behind the decision,' Sabu M Jacob had responded.

Sabu M Jacob and BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar announced the NDA entry at the press meet convened yesterday. Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Sabu M Jacob met at the BJP headquarters Mararji Bhavan yesterday. Talks were held in Kochi earlier. Reached an agreement when Sabu Jacob met the union home minister, who arrived last week.

Twenty20 registered in 2015, has power in four local bodies. It is the main opposition in two grama panchayats and two block panchayats. It has a total of 89 ward members. It had won 15 percent of votes in the last assembly elections and 12 percent of the votes in the local body elections.