The strife within the BJP in Kerala was out in the open as prominent BJP youth leader in the state Sandeep Warrier, who is a familiar face in Malayalam TV channel discussions, on Monday said he is keeping away from the election campaign for Palakkad Assembly constituency bypoll in view of the treatment meted out to him by the party leaders.

Sandeep Warrier has openly criticized the BJP leadership, declaring that he will not campaign in Palakkad due to the humiliation he experienced.

He stated that his self-respect prevents him from returning to a place where he felt insulted, and he is currently dealing with significant mental stress.

In a post on Facebook, Sandeep Warrier stressed that the humiliation he faced was not an isolated incident but rather a series of events.

In the post, he also aims at the BJP Palakkad candidate, C Krishnakumar, for failing to visit his home after his mother passed away, despite claiming to have a long-standing relationship since their days in the Yuva Morcha.

He noted that Krishnakumar did not even bother to call him after his mother’s death.

“Son of Govinda Warrier, an Indian Army veteran who served in three wars and Rugmini, a respected headmistress of Chethallur School, cannot compromise his self-esteem,” wrote Sandeep in the post.

Sandeep reportedly left an election convention in Palakkad recently, upset over not being given a seat on the stage.

It has been reported that at the NDA Convention, Palakkad candidate C Krishnakumar’s wife and others were sitting on the stage. But Sandeep didn’t have a seat there. The state leader looked at his face and said that there was no seat there, it has been reported

He later announced his decision not to participate in the campaign for BJP candidate. Despite the controversies, Sandeep clarified that these issues would not affect the party’s performance in the bypolls.

“I am just a grain of sand on the shore of the vast ocean that is the BJP,” he said.

“It’s not true that I’m upset about not getting a seat; those who know me understand that I don’t seek such recognition. I am a humble BJP worker who holds the flag, shouts slogans and puts up posters. However, I have faced significant mental challenges and I believe self-esteem is crucial. This situation isn’t just about a single event; it’s a culmination of experiences. I cannot compromise my self-respect. My parents—Govinda Warrier, a soldier who fought three wars and Rugmini, headmistress of Chethallur school—instilled that in me,” wrote Sandeep Warrier in his Facebook post.

He also said there are many Sandeep Warriers in Palakkad who are facing neglect and humiliation from the party and there is no intervention from the leadership’s side to solve the problems being faced by them.

Sandeep Warrier said that he spoke openly because he no longer has hope in the BJP and is sure that he will not get consideration.