Anil Antony, the son of Congress leader and former Union Minister AK Antony, has joined the BJP. This move comes after he quit the Congress in January amid controversy over the BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
At a formal event today, BJP leaders Piyush Goyal, V Murlidharan, and K Surendran, the partyโs Kerala unit chief, extended a warm welcome to Anil Antony.
In a statement to reporters, Anil Antony expressed his belief that he is working for the country rather than just a family, as is the perception of many Congress workers. He also praised PM Modiโs clear vision for putting India in a leading position in a multi-polar world. โMany leaders and workers of the Congress believe that their dharma is to work only for one particular family. My aim, however, is to work for the nation.โ He said Praising PM Modi and his vision, โPrime Minister Narendra Modi also has a clear vision to ensure social and economic justice to every section of the society,โ Antony junior said.
Before leaving the Congress, Anil Antony had run the partyโs social media cell in Kerala. He had called the BBC documentary โprejudiced against Indiaโ and criticized the Congress for using it to attack PM Modi, accusing him of trying to diminish the oppositionโs space in Indian politics.
Reacting to the news, BJP leader Piyush Goyal hailed Anil Antonyโs credentials as โmulti-facetedโ and said his views on sustainable development were similar to those of PM Modi. He expressed confidence that Anil Antony would play an active role in expanding the BJPโs presence in southern India.
Anil Antonyโs move is seen as a significant loss for the Congress, which is already facing internal conflicts and leadership struggles in various states. On the other hand, the BJP has been aggressively trying to expand its footprint in the southern states, and Anil Antonyโs induction is expected to give the party a boost in Kerala.
