Poothrikka panchayat bypoll triggers speculations as Twenty20 downplays BJP bonhomie

The upcoming bypoll to the Kolencherry East ward of Poothrikka panchayat in Ernakulam district has triggered political speculations with the Twenty20’s decision to go it alone and play down its alliance with the BJP.

While the move has raised questions over the stability of the alliance, insiders from both the parties claim it as a sheer pragmatic approach.

Twenty20 has fielded Deenamma Jacob in the ward against Saramma Paili Pilla of the UDF and Neethu Joyd of the LDF.

The bypoll was necessitated after Twenty20’s Pooja Jomon resigned as both panchayat president and a ward member in protest against the party’s decision to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the Assembly elections.

Twenty20 chief Sabu M. Jacob claimed that there was nothing unusual in the decision not to field the candidate under the NDA banner.

“Poothrukka is one of our strongholds, and we still have six elected members in the panchayat. The bypoll is being held for a ward which was held by Twenty20 and we joined the NDA after the local body polls. The decision to contest again on Twenty20 banner was taken in consultation with the BJP leadership,” Mr. Jacob said.

He said the party’s campaign would focus on the alleged horse trading which led to the bypoll.

P.P. Sajeev, BJP district president (Ernakulam East), said the decision was taken as a pragmatic approach aiming for nothing short of a win. He said the BJP workers in the ward are active on the Twenty20’s campaign front.

Notably, the BJP, which has limited influence in the region, had not fielded a candidate in the ward in the local body polls last year either. Twenty20 candidate polled 303 votes and won by a margin of 49 votes against the Congress in 2025, the CPI(M) finished a distant third with 125 votes.

Ms. Jomon’s resignation paved the way for the UDF rule in the panchayat as she was elected the president in a draw of lots after the Twenty20 and the UDF were tied at seven seats each while the LDF won two seats in the 16-member local body.