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Thiruvananthapuram, April 6 (IANS) The news of Anil Antony, son of veteran Congress leader A.K. Antony, joining the BJP has not come as a surprise for political circles in Kerala.
Incidentally Antony, a three-time Chief Minister of Kerala, had, soon after the lifting of Emergency, left the Congress and the outfit led by Antony and Oommen Chandy joined the then CPI-M-led Left and the government led by CPI-M veteran E.K. Nayanar in 1980.
At that time at the helm of the Congress was Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Antony had clear differences of opinion with her.
However, after the Nayanar government fell in the 1982, Antony and Chandy returned to the Congress.
But after his return, Antony was not in prominence for a few years and it was only after Indira Gandhi's passing away, that his party career revived and since then till his term in the Rajya Sabha ended last year, he has either been in the upper house of Parliament or the state Assembly.
Anil Antony, who was the IT wing head of the state Congress, had quit his post in in January this year, and since then, there were speculations was that he will soon be joining the BJP.
In a tweet then, he had expressed opposition to the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying it will "undermine our sovereignty".
This tweet invited widespread criticism from numerous quarters including from the Kerala unit of the party.
Anil Antony, after taking the BJP party membership in Delhi on Thursday, said he has the highest regards and respect for his father and the decision to join the BJP is his own personal decision.
"In my home there are four people and all have their own views and my parents often taught me to go forward with my beliefs and in the present context, I feel I need to go forward with Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.
Antony, who watched the entire press conference of his son at his home on TV, said that he will meet media later in the day and now all eyes are on what the ruling CPI-M is going to say, as their stock statement often has been that the BJP and the Congress are hand in glove.
Meanwhile Chandy's son, Chandy Oommen who was part of Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra said what Anil Antony has taken is his own personal decision and he is free to have his view.
State Congress president K.Sudhakaran said Anil Antony did this on Maundy Thursday which signifies on how Judas ditched Jesus Christ.
"Anil, beyond being Antony's son, is nothing for the Congress party. Have you ever seen Anil working as a Congress worker, has he ever stuck a poster so we are least bothered about hkis joining the BJP. I did speak to Antony and he is upset and he said he never discusses politics at home," he said.
Emotionally charged Antony says son's decision wrong, has pained him
Thiruvananthapuram, April 6 (IANS) An emotionally charged veteran Congress leader A.K. Antony on Thursday said his son Anil Antony's decision to join the BJP has pained him and was a wrong decision.
Antony, who returned to the state capital soon after his Rajya Sabha tenure ended last year, was addressing a press conference the state party headquarters here.
Earlier, in the day, Anil Antony joined the BJP in Delhi, saying: "Many of the Congress leaders believe that their duty is to work for a particular family but I believe that my duty is to work for the people. PM Narendra Modi has a clear vision to make India a developed country in the next 25 years."
But Antony said after Modi took over in 2014 in his first tenure, the basic tenets of Indian democracy, which centered around secularism and pluralism, were affected.
"And after he took over in his second term, this got speeded up and is centring around autocracy. For me, till my last breath I will be fighting the BJP and the RSS. I have been close to the Nehru family, even though at one point of time I had to split with them, once I returned after a while, my love and respect towards the Nehru family has been steadfast and increased hugely," said Antony holding back his emotions.
"My life is entering the last stages as I am 82 years now and I have no idea how long I will live. I am not interested in a long life, but till my last breath I will be a Congressman. What I said about Anil's decision now is my first and last statement and will not speak about it again," he said and walked away.
Former Leader of Opposition and senior party legislator Ramesh Chennithala said the decision of a son to chalk his way forward was his own and it will never be a blot on Antony.
"Anil joining the BJP will not have any impact at all," he said.
