BJP will discard Anil Antony like curry leaves after using him, says brother

A day after Congress veteran AK Antony’s elder son Anil joined the BJP, his younger brother Ajith on Friday (April 7) called the decision “impulsive” and said the BJP will discard him like “curry leaves” after using him.

Ajith told the media in Thiruvananthapuram that Anil never gave the slightest hint about his decision and the family was shocked to learn about it in the mass media on Thursday.

He said his father AK Antony, a former chief minister of Kerala and a former Indian defence minister, was devastated with the news.

Also read: Deeply pained by Anil’s ‘wrong’ decision to join BJP, says AK Antony

“Papa was sitting with utmost pain in a corner of the house. I have never ever seen him so weak… He did not shed tears, that’s all,” Ajith said.

Family stunned

He said his brother would have his own reasons to join the BJP and may have been hurt by the many abusive calls made by unknown Congress workers after he criticised the party publicly.

“I thought he would stay away from the (Congress) out of anger but I never ever thought he would go to the BJP. The decision was totally unexpected,” he said.

Ajith said he believed that Anil will return to the Congress after rectifying his mistakes.

But he may remain in the BJP if he feels it is good for his political future, Ajith added.

“But I will say again and again that they (BJP) will throw him out like curry leaves,” he said.

The younger brother cited the examples of Congress leaders like Alphons Kannanthanam and Tom Vadakkan who joined the BJP some years ago.

‘BJP known for use and throw policy’

Ajith said the BJP would use everyone temporarily and throw them out like used curry leaves.

Anil joined the BJP in the presence of Union ministers Piyush Goyal and V Muraleedharan in New Delhi on Thursday (April 7).

Also read: Anil Antony ‘betrayed’ his father on Maundy Thursday, says Congress

An emotionally charged AK Antony said: “I am deeply pained by Anil’s decision to join the BJP. It was a wrong decision.”

Anil, who headed the Digital Media Cell of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, quit the Congress two months ago after criticising its stand on a BBC documentary on Modi and slammed the Congress leadership.

(With inputs from agencies)