KOCHI: In yet another manifestation of the growing faction feud in Kerala BJP, the party on Monday removed party state spokesperson Sandeep G Varier from the post.
Announcing the decision at a press meet state president K Surendran said the reasons for removal of Sandeep are organisational and need not be shared with the media. However, the move has given credence to the allegation that the leadership is sidelining young leaders.
A new generation of leaders including Sandeep G Varier, Sandeep Vachaspati and PR Sivasankaran have been gaining popularity among the party workers as they have been effectively defending the party in news channel debates.The trio was unceremoniously removed from the panel of channel debaters a year ago. Sandeep Vachaspati and Sivasankaran were sidelined after a troll on footballer Neymer’s torn
shorts ruffled the leadership. It was alleged that the leaders were referring to Surendran’s torn shirt during the Sabarimala protests in 2018.
A section of leaders from Kozhikode, Malappuram and Palakkad had raised allegations of misappropriation of funds against Sandeep G Varier. However, he had refute4d the charges and complained to the party about the attempts to tarnish his image. Varier who contested the 2021 Assembly elections from Shoranur had garnered 36,973 votes raising the party’s vote share to 24.34%. The difference in vote share between the UDF and BJP was only 753 votes.
Similarly, a bunch of senior leaders including M T Ramesh and Sobha Surendran have been sidelined by the leadership as they have a strained relationship with state president. It is learned that Prakash Javadekar who recently took over as Kerala Prabhari (state in charge) of the party was dissatisfied over the
faction feud which has spoiled the party’s chances in the state.
Campaign against drugs and terrorism
The BJP will organise a 10 day state wide campaign against growing influence of drug mafia and terror outfits that are using drug trafficking to raise funds, said party president K Surendran announcing the decisions of the state committee meeting held in Kottayam. On November 1 the party will organise district
level public meetings seeking stringent action to control drug trafficking and terrorism.
The party will launch a year long campaign on October 14 demanding to install the statue of Thunchath Ezhuthachan, the father of Malayalam language, at Thunchan Parambu in Tirur. A meeting will be held in Tirur on October 14 where the organising committee for installation of Ezhuthachan statue will be formed,
he said.