BJP Gains Another Ally: Anil Antony, Son Of Congress Veteran AK Antony, Joins Party

Congress leader AK Antony's son, Anil Antony, has now joined BJP.

Anil Antony, former Kerala Congress leader, left the party in January due to controversy surrounding the BBC's documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots and PM Narendra Modi.

At a formal event today, BJP leaders Piyush Goyal and V Murlidharan and the party's Kerala unit chief K Surendran welcomed the former Congress leader to their party.

"Every Congress worker believes they are working for a family. But I believe I am working for the country," Anil Antony told reporters today.

Anil Antony formerly managed the Congress party's social media unit in Kerala but left due to his disagreement with the party's stance on a BBC documentary.

He called the BBC documentary "prejudiced against India" before leaving the party. The documentary was used by the Congress to malign PM Modi for allegedly restricting opposition activities in politics.

Anil Antony's entry to BJP comes as a setback to Congress as his father is a party veteran and loyalist who has also been the Defence Minister.

In the BJP, Anil Antony is anticipated to increase party's footprint in Kerala and attract more voters, particularly Christians.