(Photo from Facebook)
Palakkad: Amidst rumors, BJP leader Sandeep Varier has joined the Congress party. In a ceremony held on stage in Palakkad, Kerala, Congress leader and KPCC President K. Sudhakaran welcomed Varier into the party by draping him with a shawl, with other Congress leaders present as witnesses.
Following his induction into Congress, Sandeep Varier heavily criticized the BJP, calling it a “factory of hate” and stating that there was no freedom to express opinions within the party. He further described the BJP as being run in an autocratic manner, where members lacked the freedom to voice their views. Varier also mentioned that he had been banned from participating in television discussions for an entire year just because of a Facebook post.
Earlier, key Congress leaders including Kerala’s AICC Secretary Deepa Das Munshi and Opposition Leader V. D. Satheesan joined in welcoming Sandeep Varier into the party. His move to Congress follows two weeks of discussions within the party. Varier, who had been at odds with the BJP leadership for some time, made the switch to Congress as the Palakkad election approached, with voting scheduled for November 20.
After a series of discussions over the past two weeks, the AICC gave its approval for Varier’s entry into Congress, leading to this final announcement. The denial of the Palakkad seat, combined with ongoing neglect within the party, had pushed Varier further away from the BJP. He had earlier been removed from his spokesperson position due to some internal complaints. Subsequently, he publicly challenged the leadership during a crucial by-election phase.
Varier had earlier publicly stated that he would not be participating in the BJP’s election campaign in Palakkad. He had hoped that the party leadership would make some positive, proactive decisions, but expressed disappointment that no such actions were taken. He also lamented that despite the great sacrifices made to join the party, members were subjected to statements that could easily nullify their efforts. He stated that it was deeply painful for someone to leave the party, emphasizing that leadership should focus on uniting people, not pushing them away.
