Kerala Congress Leaders Say ‘Anil Antony Fell Into BJP's Trap, Betrayed His Father By Joining BJP'

Kerala Congress leaders have attacked Anil Antony after he joined the BJP and accused him of betraying his father.

Thiruvananthapuram: Shortly after Congress veteran AK Antony`s son Anil Antony joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Leader of the Opposition in Kerala, VD Satheesan has said that nothing will happen to his party. This comes after Congress veteran AK Antony`s son Anil Antony joined BJP in Delhi on Thursday. Responding to Anil`s decision of joining the BJP, Satheesan said, "Anil Antony has not rendered any services directly or indirectly to Congress or any organizations. Even the assigned responsibility was not properly performed by Anil."

"Anil Antony was falling in the lap of BJP. He says very strange reasons for his BJP affiliation. Its danger will be known later. Anil Antony will have to regret this very immature decision later," he added.

Talking about AK Antony`s image in the party, Satheesan said, "This is the condemnation shown by Anil Antony to his father AK Antony as a son. AK Antony has made clear that he will be against Sangh Parivar and remain a Congress person till his death." "Just because his son joined BJP, AK Antony`s political image will not be affected," added the opposition leader in a statement.

KPCC chief K Sudhakaran said, "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." 

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Ambika Soni said that his decision to join BJP must not be linked with his father. She said that it is sad that Anil Antony is going to work for those who are "dividing" the country. "We must not link this decision of Anil Antony with AK Antony. It`s sad to see that a man from such a family by giving this small excuse is going to work for those who are dividing the country," the Congress leader said.

Deeply Pained By Anil’s Decision: AK Antony

Earlier in the day, AK Antony said that Anil has taken a wrong move by joining the BJP adding that the decision has pained him. "I am pained by my son Anil`s decision to join the BJP. I strongly feel it is a very wrong decision. India`s base is unity and religious harmony. After 2014, the Modi government came to power, they are systematically diluting diversity and secularism," AK Antony, who is considered a close aide of the Gandhi family, told mediapersons here.

‘RSS, BJP Destroying India’

The former union minister alleged that BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) are destroying India`s constitutional ethos. He said he will be a Congress worker till his last breath. "BJP believes only in uniformity. Till my last breath, I will oppose all the wrong policies of the RSS and BJP. They are destroying the country`s constitutional values. I will die as a Congress worker. I am 82. I do not know how long I will live, " added the Congress veteran.

Anil Antony Joins BJP, Hails PM Modi’s Leadership

Anil Antony joined the BJP in the presence of Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and V Muraleedharan. Kerala BJP chief K Surendran and senior party leaders Tarun Chugh and Anil Baluni were also present at the occasion.Anil Antony thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his induction into BJP. 

Soon after joining the BJP, Anil Antony began his address with a verse 'Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah' from epic Mahabharat. The verse loosely translates into “Dharma (religion) or state of law protects those who protect it.’’  "I believe in 'Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah'. Nowadays, some Congress leaders believe that it is their dharma (duty) to serve the interests of a family. But, I believe that it is my duty to serve the nation," Anil Antony said.

Anil said the prime minister has a very clear vision to turn India into a developed nation in the next 25 years. "In times like these, the central government and the BJP organisation led by the Prime Minister, Amit Shah and J P Nadda are working tirelessly to take this vision to every nook and corner of the country," he said.

Asked whether he had consulted his father before joining the BJP, Anil Antony said he "strongly believed" that he had taken the right step. "In my house, there are four people. There is my father, my mother, my brother and me. All of us are very different people. He is my father, so we have a very good relationship. He is a person I love and respect the most in my life," he said.

"But this is not about personalities, this is about a difference of opinion and ideas. I strongly believe that I have taken the right step. But, my respect for my father will remain the same. There is no question of any politics in my family," Anil Antony said.

Anil Antony was also considered close to senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and had supported his candidature in the election to the post of Congress President. Anil Antony graduated from the Government College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, in 2007 and launched a start-up, Torque Technology Solutions. He later went to Stanford University in the US to pursue his Masters in Science (MSc).