Anil Antony
Today, Anil Antony, the son of former Union Minister and Congress leader AK Antony, has joined the BJP.
Anil Antony, a Congress leader from Kerala, resigned from the party in January after a disagreement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a BBC documentary about the 2002 Gujarat riots.
At a formal event today, BJP leaders Piyush Goyal and V Murlidharan, as well as the party’s Kerala unit chief K Surendran, welcomed the former Congress leader to their party.
Today, Anil Antony told the media, “Every member of Congress believes they are working for a family. But I believe I am doing my best for the country”.
He further said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a very clear vision of propelling India to the forefront of a multipolar world”.
Before leaving Congress, Anil Antony ran the Congress party’s social media cell in Kerala.
Before leaving the party, he called the BBC documentary “prejudiced against India”. “The Congress had used the documentary to attack Prime Minister Modi, accusing him of orchestrating moves to reduce the space for the opposition in Indian politics”, Anil Antony added.
BJP leader Piyush Goyal said, “Anil Antony has a complex personality. When I saw Anil Antony ji’s credentials, I was very impressed”.
Mr. Goyal further said, “His views on sustainable development are similar to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s”.
“We are confident that he will continue to play an active role and contribute to the growth of the BJP’s footprint in southern India”, Mr. Goyal added.
Anil Antony’s decision to join the BJP is a loss for Congress because his father(AK Antony) is a party veteran and supporter who has also served as Defence Minister. The Congress called Anil Antony’s betrayal of his father a ‘day of betrayal’.
Anil Antony stated at the formal event to join the BJP that he believes he has made the correct decision.
He said, “This is about differences of opinion and ideas, not personalities. I am confident that I have made the correct decision”.
When the media questioned if he had contacted his father before making the decision, he answered, “My respect for my father will remain the same”.
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