The BJP’s Kerala chief K Surendran said more leaders will follow former Union minister and Congress leader AK Antony’s son, Anil Antony, to the saffron camp.
On Thursday, in the presence of Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and V Muraleedharan, Anil Anthony, had previously quit the Congress & formally joined the BJP. At his joining, Tarun Chugh and Anil Baluni, two senior party leaders, were also present in addition to Surendran.
Surendran questioned on whether Anil Anthony’s joining would boost the BJP’s prospects in the southern state and boost its acceptability among Christian voters, said, “AK Antony is senior Congress leader, who held key positions in the party. Today, his son Anil Antony took membership of the BJP. More Congress leaders will be joining BJP soon.”
“Anil Antony is one of many Opposition leaders to have joined the BJP. Even the erudite and highly educated leaders in the Opppsition camp are now joining the BJP. We are apprpoaching several other leaders in the Congress and the Left to join us,” he added.
Hoping for a better vote share in the southern state where the saffron party hasn’t yet managed to any significant electoral inroads, the BJP state chief said, “Our vote share in Kerala wasn’t much the last time. However, this time we hope to bag a bigger share of Christian votes as the Christian community has demonstrated that it has full faith in Modi-ji’s work.”
On the Congress stalwart’s statement that he was pained at his son joining the BJP, Surendran added, “AK Antony has been with the Congress for six decades and it is only natural for him to feel bad if his son joins the BJP. Anil Antony thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his induction into the BJP.
While posting about his resignation on Twitter, Antony mocked the Congress saying he received intolerant calls to retract a tweet by those “fighting for free speech”.
“I have resigned from my roles in @incindia, @INCKerala. Intolerant calls to retract a tweet, by those fighting for free speech. I refused. @facebook wall of hate/abuses by ones supporting a trek to promote love! Hypocrisy thy name is! Life goes on,” Anil K Antony said in a tweet.The development is being seen as a big setback for the Congress in Kerala ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.