Ahead of polls, NDA ally Twenty20 revives subsidised shopping markets with ‘Loyalty Cards’, riles CPM

Kochi: Weeks after its calculated entry into the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Kitex-backed Twenty20 has officially revamped and resumed its flagship Food Security Market in Kizhakambalam.

In a strategic rebranding aimed at the upcoming assembly elections, the party has replaced the ‘Twenty20 Food Safety Card’ with a more expansive ‘Loyalty Card’ system with added benefits, signalling a major push to consolidate its voter base across its strongholds in Ernakulam’s rural belts, even though the party leadership claims it has no connection with the elections but strictly for people’s welfare.

The relaunch comes at a critical political juncture. By aligning with the BJP-led NDA, Twenty20 president Sabu M Jacob is positioning the “Kizhakkambalam Model” as a corporate-backed alternative to the state's traditional LDF and UDF fronts.

Speaking on the resumption of services, Jacob emphasised that the welfare project is the backbone of their political identity. “We are not doing it anticipating the elections. It is one of the main projects by Twenty20 to ensure people's welfare. So we have resumed the operations again with more services,” Jacob told Onmanorama.

Addressing the scale of the project, Jacob revealed that the initiative has already moved beyond the borders of Kizhakkambalam and surrounding panchayats. He said that approximately 50,000 families of the Kunnathunad Assembly constituency currently hold the newly minted loyalty cards, with a steady stream of new applications being processed daily.

To solidify its grip on the constituency and ease the logistical burden on beneficiaries, Jacob announced the expansion of the market to neighbouring regions. “We plan to open two more large-scale similar outlets to serve the broader Kunnathunad area.

One will be set up exclusively for residents of Puthencruz, Thiruvaniyur, and Poothrikka panchayats and another outlet for the Aikkaranadu and Mazhuvannur panchayats. So those residents don't have to come all the way to Kizhakkambalam outlet to avail the benefits,” Jacob added.

The markets stock all essential household items, including vegetables, fruits, fish, chicken, and groceries. These items are provided to loyalty cardholders at discounts of up to 60% off the original price. Only loyalty cardholders are eligible for these discounts, while others can purchase the goods at the regular prices.

Loyalty cards are issued to residents after conducting surveys to assess factors such as the number of family members, income levels, and related details, which are used to determine the quantity of goods each family can purchase at discounted rates.

Twenty20 is expanding the loyalty card programme to include other shops and enterprises such as textile stores, pharmacies, electronics outlets, hardware shops, and hospitals. Through tie-ups with these establishments, cardholders will be able to avail similar discounts on a wide range of products and services.

“With new tie-ups, particularly with hospitals, loyalty cardholders can also access services such as blood tests and medical treatment at selected hospitals at discounted rates. We are continuously adding more services to the loyalty card benefit list,” Jacob said.

Rivals call it ‘election stunt’
The shift to a loyalty card is seen by political rivals as more than just a name change. By integrating the market services with a loyalty-based system, Twenty20 is creating a direct, tangible link between political support and essential subsidies, items that are often sold at up to 60% below market rates.
This expansion is particularly vital for the NDA's prospects in Ernakulam.

Following the alliance, Twenty20 has faced some internal dissent, with a few local leaders defecting to the Congress. By doubling down on its welfare schemes in Kunnathunad, Jacob is looking to prove that his model is indispensable to the local electorate, regardless of the political colour of the alliance.

Meanwhile, political rivals have already begun campaigning against the initiative, alleging that the market is an attempt to woo voters. Kunnathunad MLA and CPI(M) leader P V Sreenijin alleged that the move was an election stunt by Twenty20 to influence voters. “We are not against people getting daily essentials at affordable prices. However, this is a political party using such initiatives during election time to sway voters. We are questioning the transparency of these actions,” Sreenijin said.

Responding to the criticism and to the possibility of allegations similar to those raised during the Lok Sabha elections that led to Election Commission intervention, Jacob said he would address the matter legally if required. “By playing dirty politics, they are trying to deny people the opportunity to access daily groceries at subsidised rates. If they were truly concerned about voters’ welfare, they would not oppose this initiative,” Jacob said.