Sandeep Varier sulks over insult by party, flays BJP leadership

BJP State committee member Sandeep Varier criticised the party leadership for sidelining him in the party. He said he would not work for C. Krishnakumar, the BJP candidate in Palakkad Assembly byelection, as he had been ignored and insulted by the party leadership.

Mr. Varier was denied a seat on the stage during a BJP convention here last week. Peeved at the rejection, he expressed his dejection in a Facebook post, saying that he would not campaign for Mr. Krishnakumar.

He said in the post that Mr. Krishnakumar, who is State general secretary of the BJP, had not even bothered to give him a call when his mother died a couple of years ago, let alone visit him.

Mr. Varier said here on Monday that the BJP was going through an undemocratic phase, and that he had no expectation in its leadership. He denied having held discussions with the CPI(M).

He said his distancing from the party frontline activities was the result of a series of insults that he suffered in recent times. “There were many occasions when my dignity was wounded,” he said. It was party State vice-president Raghunath who told him bluntly that he had no seat on the stage during the party convention, he said.

Mr. Varier admitted that Mr. Krishnakumar was behind the ignominies that he suffered. “I am still a BJP worker. I have my self-esteem. I will not go for electioneering in Palakkad,” he said.

Surendran plays it down

BJP State president K. Surendran said that that party would not take Mr. Varier’s stand seriously. He played down the questions from the mediapersons about the party efforts to placate Mr. Varier.

The BJP president also refused to comment whether the party would initiate any action against Mr. Varier.

Meanwhile, speculations were rife about Mr. Varier leaving the BJP with the parties like the CPI and the CPI(M) sending overtures to welcome him.

Published - November 04, 2024 07:40 pm IST