Former BJP Kerala unit leader Sandeep Warrier, who recently defected to Congress, said on Sunday that the BJP is a hub of people who are servile in the name of discipline. He alleged that there is no opportunity in the saffron party’s Kerala unit to express opinions freely.

Speaking to the media in Palakkad, Sandeep Warrier said that the state BJP lacks self-criticism and introspection. He accused the Kerala BJP of doing little beyond imposing dictatorial orders that others are forced to obey.

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The former BJP leader alleged that a caucus comprising K Surendran (state president), V Muralidharan (former Union minister), and Krishnakumar (Palakkad candidate and state general secretary), which has taken over the BJP in Kerala, made Krishnakumar the candidate without adhering to any democratic processes. He said that the decision to nominate Krishnakumar from Palakkad was a setback for the BJP. While the BJP claimed that no basic party votes were lost in Palakkad, he added that around 30 to 50 cadre votes were leaked from each booth.

Sandeep alleged that Krishnakumar was chosen as the Palakkad candidate without considering the sentiments of ordinary party workers in the region. He added that those who remained silent at the time of the nomination should now speak out against the leadership after the party’s electoral loss. He further said that none of those who criticised the leadership dared to express their opinions with self-respect and enthusiasm.

He said the Palakkad by-election result is a befitting reply to BJP state president K Surendran since he is responsible for the party’s decimation.

“Surendran is responsible for the BJP’s setback in Palakkad. He said I was not an important person and my exit would not affect the party. They launched a cyber attack on me and did not spare my 84-year-old father and wife. The voters have given them a befitting reply. There is a huge decline in BJP’s vote share. I am happy the voters have accepted the issues raised by me. They insulted me, saying Sandeep Warier was a nobody, but I kept my trust in the people of Palakkad. I thank them for their love. UDF ran a spectacular campaign and ripped apart the core base of BJP in Palakkad municipality,” he said.

“There is no doubt that BJP suffered such a heavy blow only because of Krishnakumar’s candidacy. Be it milk society, municipality, panchayat, or even LS polls, Krishnakumar is the only one who contests from Palakkad. The leadership too took a myopic view of things and considered that the Palakkad BJP revolves just around Krishnakumar and his wife,” Sandeep added. He further said, “K Surendran and his gang should be beaten out of Mararji Bhavan (BJP state headquarters), and the place should be sprinkled with cow dung.”