“We are not apolitical. We are against rampant corruption and inefficiency among politicians who dominate society now,” says K.K. Gopakumar of Thrikkakara Jana Munnettam (Thrikkakara people’s front), which has forged alliance with all like-minded people across the political spectrum.
He said that apolitical organisations could not survive for long. “Society needs a vision for its growth and that is the reason why we emphasize that we are not apolitical and not against political affiliations,” he said.
Thrikkakara Jana Munnettam had no link with the 2020 movement in Kizhakkambalam, he said when asked about the inspiration behind the formation of the organisation that would field its candidates in all the wards of the municipality in the upcoming local body polls.
He said that a call had been given out to people who were like-minded. “The response has been very good and so far candidates have been identified in 15 of the wards,” he said.
Alexander Shaju of V4 Kochi, an organisation of mostly young people who feel that Kochi needs a leadership to raise it to the expectations of being a great city, said that V4 Kochi would field candidates in all the divisions of the Kochi Corporation in the upcoming elections.
“The organisation is made of enthusiasts for a better tomorrow. They are against communalism and corruption and want leaders to be efficient and honest,” he said.
Public anger
Chellanam 2020 hopes to cash in on the public anger against the “failure of successive governments to address issues like serious sea erosion and threat faced by ordinary fishers.”
Pavizham Biju, its president, said that political parties just did not care about the lives of ordinary people.
“Parties are only worried about their capability to lure people into their ranks without caring for people at all. Candidates of Chellanam 2020 will contest in all the 21 wards in the panchayat,” he said.
Mr. Gopakumar claimed that Thrikkakara Jana Munnettam candidates would stand out against the candidates of other political fronts because of their educational qualification, personal integrity and ability to serve society as a whole.
“The candidates for the Thrikkakara Jana Munnettam have been chosen keeping in mind their ability, formal educational qualifications as well as their acceptability before people,” he added.
