Decisive Decision, Says Anil Antony After Joining BJP. Cong Slams Him For 'Betrayal' — Top Points

Anil Antony, who headed the Digital Media cell of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, resigned from the Congress two months back.

Anil Antony, son of Congress veteran AK Antony, with Union Minister and senior BJP leader Piyush Goyal.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Former Union Minister and Congress Leader AK Antony's son Anil Antony joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, terming it a very “decisive decision” in his life.

Anil Antony, who headed the Digital Media cell of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, resigned from the Congress two months back, after criticising the party's stand on the controversial documentary series of the BBC on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and slammed the party leadership for working for a "single family" instead of the country.

#WATCH | Delhi: After joining BJP, Anil Antony meets party chief JP Nadda along with Union Minister V Muraleedharan pic.twitter.com/KggihCeL2N

— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2023

“Congress party now is not the Congress I knew when I was growing up, it is not even the party that existed five years back. Now Congress has lost all interest....... Party now has started prioritising the interest of 2-3 individuals,” news agency ANI quoted Anil Antony as saying.

Here are the key developments:

• "This has been a very decisive decision in my life. A few months back, I quit Congress because there was a difference of opinion regarding a documentary, which I believe was a hit on our sovereignty & integrity": Anil Antony said after joining BJP.
• “Today, several Congress workers and leaders believe it is their 'dharma' to work for a family. My 'dharma' is to work for the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a very clear vision of putting India in a leading place in a multi-polar world,” he said.
• Veteran Congress leader AK Antony said he is deeply pained by his son’s decision and added he would continue to be a Congress worker till his last breath. "I am 82 now. I am at the last stages of my life. I don't know how long I will live and I don't have any interest in having a long life. I will remain a worker of the Indian National Congress as long as I live," the Congress leader said.
• AK Antony also accused the BJP of destroying the constitutional values of the country. "Unity in diversity is the Indian concept. That is the real vision of India's unity. But the BJP believes only in uniformity. India's unity, people's unity, social harmony, everything is demolished," he said.
• The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) slammed Anil for joining the BJP, accusing him of "betraying" his father and veteran party leader Antony on "Maundy Thursday".
• "Today (Maundy Thursday) is the day of Judas (Iscariot) who betrayed Jesus Christ for a payment of 30 silver coins. Many such things will happen on that day. This (Anil joining BJP) should also be seen as such an incident," KPCC chief Sudhakaran said.
• Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly, VD Satheesan, said Anil is falling into the trap of the BJP and nothing will happen to Congress because of him joining the saffron party. "Anil has not rendered any services directly or indirectly to the Congress or the allied organisations. Anil did not even perform the assigned tasks properly,” he said.
• Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said Anil's decision to join the BJP was immature.
• Speaking on the issue, senior Congress leader Ambika Soni said, “We must not link this decision of Anil Antony with AK Antony. It’s sad to see a man from such a family, by giving this small excuse, is going to work for those who are dividing the country.”
• Meanwhile, Kerala's ruling CPI(M) said there are no boundaries that prevented Congressmen from joining the BJP. CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan said it is easy to switch parties because the political positions of both parties are the same.