New Delhi: BJP Kerala chief K Surendran has said that after Anil Antony, son of former Union minister and Congress leader AK Antony, more leaders will join the saffron camp. Anil Anthony, who had earlier quit the Congress, on Thursday formally joined the BJP in the presence of Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and V Muraleedharan. Surendran and senior party leaders Tarun Chugh and Anil Baluni were also present during his induction. Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Surendran, when asked whether Anil Anthony’s induction will boost BJP’s prospects in the southern state and increase its acceptability among Christian voters, said, “AK Antony is a senior Congress leader, Who have key positions in the party. Today, his son Anil Antony joined the BJP. More Congress leaders will soon join the BJP.”
The Kerala BJP chief said that Anil Antony is one of the many opposition leaders to join the BJP. Even scholars and highly educated leaders from the opposition camp are now joining the BJP, he said, adding that his party is approaching several other leaders from the Congress and Left parties to join the saffron camp.
Surendran also expressed confidence that the BJP’s vote share in Kerala would improve in the next assembly elections. “We expect to get a major chunk of Christian votes as the Christian community has shown that they have full faith in Modi ji’s work,” Surendran said. On the Congress veteran’s statement that he was unhappy about his son joining the BJP, Surendran said, “AK Antony has been with the Congress for six decades and it is natural for him to feel bad if his son joins the BJP.
Deeply saddened by Anil’s decision: AK Antony
Earlier in the day, AK Antony said Anil had taken a wrong step by joining the BJP and was pained by the decision. “I am saddened by my son Anil’s decision to join BJP. I strongly feel that it is a very wrong decision. The basis of India is unity and religious harmony. After 2014, the Modi government came to power, they systematically undermining diversity and secularism,” AK Antony, considered close to the Gandhi family, told reporters.
‘RSS, BJP destroying India’
The former Union minister alleged that the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were destroying India’s constitutional values. He said that he will remain a Congress worker till his last breath. “BJP only believes in uniformity. Till my last breath, I will oppose all the wrong policies of RSS and BJP. They are destroying the constitutional values of the country. I will die as a Congress worker. I am 82 years old. I don’t know how long I will live,” the Congress veteran said.
Anil Antony joins BJP, praises PM Modi’s leadership
Anil Antony joined 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 on the occasion. Anil Antony thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for joining BJP. Soon after joining the BJP, Anil Antony began his address with ‘Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah’, a verse from the Mahabharata. The verse states “Dharma (dharma) or the state of the law protects those who protect it.” Family. But, I believe it is my duty to serve the country,” said Anil Antony.
Anil said that the Prime Minister has a very clear vision to transform India into a developed nation in the next 25 years. “At such a time, the central government and the BJP organization under the leadership of Prime Ministers, Amit Shah and JP 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 was of “firm belief” that he had taken the right step. “In my house, there are four people. My father, my mother, my brother and me. We are all very different people. He is my father, so we have a very good relationship. He is a person I love. am.” And most respect in my life,” he said.
“But it’s not about personality, it’s about difference of opinion and views. I firmly believe that I have taken the right step. But, my respect for my father will remain the same. Any politics in my life There’s no question.” family,” said Anil Antony.
Anil Antony was also considered close to senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and supported his candidature for the post of Congress President. Anil Antony graduated from 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 do his Masters in Science (MSc).