Kerala capital sees emergence of apolitical forum, with an eye on development

Kerala's capital Thiruvananthapuram is witnessing the emergence of a new movement of professionals for the development of the city, which has been triggered by the objections raised by the mainstream political parties against the city airport's privatisation, among several other airports in the country.

Titled 'Thiruvananthapuram Vikasana Munnetam' (TVM), meaning Thiruvananthapuram development movement, the forum plans to field candidates in the elections to the Thiruvananthapuram corporation next month.

Twenty20, a people's initiative backed by the CSR activities of a corporate firm at Kizhakambalam in the outskirts of Kochi, that won 17 of the 19 local body seats in 2015 is an inspiration to TVM.

Bodies like Confederation of Indian Industry, Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India and Trivandrum Agenda Task Force are taking the lead and known persons like founder chief executive officer of Tehnopark, G Vijayaraghavan, are in the forefront of the initiative. TVM aims at winning at least 35 seats in the 100 seat Thiruvananthapuram corporation so that it could emerge as a decisive force.

The forum had its origin when the ruling CPM-led left front and the main opposition party Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala vehemently opposed leasing out of Thiruvananthapuram international airport to private parties. While the political party leaders justified their stand maintaining that they were not against privatisation but only acting as per the people's will, many prominent personalities of the civil society flayed the government stand.

Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and Industry president S N Raghuchandran Nair, who is one of the spokespersons of TVM, told DH that the fresh initiative is the urge of the local people for the development of the state capital. Though the state capital had huge potential for development, political parties were showing neglect. Hence TVM is a mark of protest also.

TVM plans to field young well educated youth in the fray. The considerable techie voters who generally abstain from voting, and residents of flats are the major target of the forum. The forum would be rolling out its development agenda soon.

The move of TVM is a cause for concern for the main stream political parties as no parties had a clear majority in the city corporation in the 2015 elections. The left-front had been ruling the corporation over the last several terms.