Kochi | Malayalam film director and reality show winner Akhil Marar on Thursday joined NDA ally Twenty20 and will contest in the upcoming Assembly elections, the party announced here.
Marar said he considers himself a free thinker and that, at times, some of his positions align with the BJP, the UDF, and even the CPI(M).
Referring to his film 'Oru Tathvika Avalokanam', he said it portrayed how a businessman struggles against three political parties for survival, and added that he had been in touch with Twenty20 president and Kitex Garments Managing Director Sabu M Jacob.
"The concept of development that Twenty20 wanted to bring to the state was also in my mind. But the party had not expanded outside Ernakulam district, and if that had happened earlier, I would have become a member long ago," he said.
Marar said he had openly expressed his view that the state required a change in government and was supporting the UDF as part of efforts to strengthen the Opposition.
"But more than strengthening the Opposition, the state requires change," he said.
He said the growth taking place in the country cannot be ignored while the state was "going backwards," a point he claimed had also been acknowledged by some LDF leaders.
According to him, development was the sole agenda behind Twenty20 joining the NDA alliance.
"For the future development of the state, visionary leaders must come forward," he said.
Marar described Twenty20 as a political outfit that presented a futuristic concept long ago and implemented it in the Kizhakambalam panchayat.
Kizhakambalam panchayat, which is governed by the party and also houses the headquarters of both Twenty20 and Kitex Garments.
"There is no better political ideology in Kerala now than that of Twenty20 under the leadership of Jacob. I know there are many people like me who want to bring change, and I want to work for them," he said.
Jacob said that, contrary to "fake claims" that people were leaving after the party joined the NDA, more people like Marar were joining it.
He also claimed that some political parties were in discussions to merge with Twenty20.
Announcing Marar’s entry into the party, Jacob said he would be the party’s candidate in the upcoming election.
"The constituency from which he will contest will be decided after discussions within the NDA," Jacob added.
Twenty20, which governs multiple panchayats around Kizhakambalam, has been contesting elections since 2015 but has yet to win a seat in the Assembly or Parliament.
The party recently joined the NDA alliance and is seeking to make inroads in the upcoming Assembly elections.
