Anil Antony cheated his father and Congress: KPCC President K Sudhakaran

Anil Antony has cheated his father, asserted Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K Sudhakaran, after the former joined the BJP party on Thursday (April 6). Anil Antony is the son of veteran Congress leader and former Kerala Chief Minister AK Antony.

Anil joined the saffron party in the presence of Union ministers Piyush Goyal and V Muraleedharan and later met BJP President JP Nadda, who warmly welcomed his entry into the party.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief K Sudhakaran slams Anil Antony 

Calling it a day of "cheating" and linking Anil's joining of BJP with Judas betrayal of Jesus, KPCC president Sudhakaran said, "This is the day of cheating. Anil Antony joined BJP on the same day (Mounty Thursday) Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty silver coins. Anil Antony betrayed his father and Congress."

He further slammed Anil, saying he was nothing in the Congress party more than the son of a former defence minister. Sudhakaran further went on to say that Anil had never fought for the Congress party and that he was a non-active member of Congress who never held a party flag or raised party slogans. "More than AK Antony's son, Anil Antony, was nothing in Congress. Anil Antony doesn't have a tradition of fighting for Congress. Anil never held the party flag, did not paste posters for the party, and did not raise party slogans," he added.

Speaking about the political views of people in the same family, Sudhakaran said that politics is personal. "Being the son of AK Antony, even we say that he is a congressman. Politics is personal. Earlier, there were people in the same family with different party views. Can examine the pathetic condition of those who left the Congress party. Anyone who worked for the party will not leave the Congress Party," said Sudhakar.

How did AK Anthony react to his son's entry into the saffron party?

Expressing strong disappointment over Anil's joining of BJP, AK Anthony said his son has taken a "very wrong decision." AK Anthony, who served thrice as the Chief Minister of the state, said he will always stay loyal to the "Nehru family" and will remain a "Congress worker till death."

He lashed out at the BJP party for "systematically diluting diversity and secularism" in the country. AK Anthony said the BJP is "destroying the constitutional values of the country" and his son's decision to join such a party has "hurt" him.

#WATCH | "Anil’s decision to join BJP has hurt me. It is a very wrong decision. India’s base is unity and religious harmony. After 2014, Modi govt came to power, they’re systematically diluting diversity and secularism....": AK Antony on his son Anil Antony joining BJP pic.twitter.com/6Gg03qvZY0

— ANI (@ANI)

How will Anil's entry into BJP benefit the saffron party?

Interestingly, the politics in India have taken a turn where any leader, no matter how big or small their political image, if chooses to leave his own party to join a rival team is viewed as a victory sign. Moreover, any leader from the grand old party joining the BJP is bad news for the saffron party for obvious reasons. Anil's entry into the BJP party is viewed as nothing more than a sizable Christian vote share from the southern state.