Congress Stalwart & Ex-Defence Minister AK Antony’s Son Joins BJP

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress stalwart and former Union Defence minister AK Antony’s son Anil Antony on Thursday joined BJP.

Union ministers Piyush Goyal, V Muraleedharan and BJP’s Kerala unit chief K Surendran welcomed the former Congress leader to their party at a formal event.

Anil, who was in charge of Congress’ social media cell in Kerala, quit the party in January this year following a row over his tweet criticising the BBC documentary on PM Narendra Modi’s role in the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Slamming the ‘anti-India prejudices’ of the documentary, Anil had said placing the British broadcaster’s views over Indian institutions would ‘undermine’ the country’s sovereignty.

“Despite large differences with BJP, I think those in placing views of BBC, a state sponsored channel with a long history of prejudices, and of Jack Straw, the brain behind the Iraq war, over institutions is setting a dangerous precedence, will undermine our sovereignty,” Anil had tweeted.

His views didn’t obviously amuse those in the party.

He resigned from all roles in Congress, taking a jibe at some of his party colleagues.

“I am sure that I have my own unique strengths which could have enabled me to contribute very effectively to the party in several ways. However, by now I have been made well aware that you, your colleagues, and the coterie around the leadership are only keen to work with a bunch of sycophants and chamchas, who would unquestionably be at your beck and call. This has become the lone criterion of merit. Sadly, we don’t have much common ground,” Anil stated in his rrsignation letter.