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A K Antony
Anil K Antony, the son of veteran Congress leader A K Antony, on Thursday joined the BJP in the presence of Union ministers Piyush Goyal and V Muraleedharan here. Antony, who headed the Digital Media cell of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, slammed the Congress leadership for working for a "single family" instead of working for the country. He had quit the Congress after criticising the party's stand on the controversial documentary film of the BBC on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Welcoming Antony in the BJP, Goyal described him as a "very grounded political worker", who was convinced that the BJP cares for the country and shared the prime minister's vision of sustainable growth. "This is not about personalities, this is about difference of opinion and ideas. I strongly believe that I have taken the right step. My respect for my father will remain the same," Antony said when asked whether he had consulted his father before joining the BJP.
Veteran Congress leader A K Antony on Monday said that as Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY) comes to an end, the nation is getting to see a new Rahul Gandhi who will lead the fight against the forces spreading hatred and anger in the country. Antony, speaking at a programme organised by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee here to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 75th death anniversary, said it was time to begin the "second phase" to weaken and defeat the divisive forces in the country. "As the Bharat Jodo Yatra comes to an end, India is getting to see a new Rahul Gandhi. A new Rahul Gandhi who will take care of the country and lead the fight against the forces spreading anger and hatred. "It is time to begin the second phase. By that I mean, it is time to weaken and defeat the forces trying to divide the country through hatred and anger," the former defence minister said. The Congress organised a rally in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar on Monday with several leaders from national and ...
Veteran Congress leader and former Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony's son, Anil, on Wednesday resigned from all his posts in the party following widespread criticism of his tweet against the controversial BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots. Anil Antony announced his resignation via a tweet in which he said that he was getting "intolerant calls" to retract his tweet against the documentary and the "wall of hate/abuses" on Facebook over the same issue have prompted him to take the decision. In a portion of the redacted resignation letter, he posted on his Twitter handle, Anil said, "Considering the events from yesterday, I believe it would be appropriate for me to leave all my roles in the Congress -- as the Convener of KPCC Digital Media, and as the National Co-coordinator of AICC Social Media and Digital Communications Cell." Anil had on Tuesday tweeted that despite large differences with the BJP, those who support and place the views of the British broadcaster and of former
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh is likely to run for the party president's post even as the old grand party scrambles to find a candidate with barely two days left for the nomination process to end and its president Sonia Gandhi holding consultations with party veterans. The Congress President held a meeting with senior leader and loyalist A K Antony for more than an hour on Wednesday and is understood to have discussed the probable candidates for the Congress president. The meeting with Antony came days after an open rebellion by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot loyalists over a possible leadership change in the state, clouding Gehlot's chances of running for the presidency. The Congress presidential polls, in which a non-Gandhi is expected to be elected after more than two decades, have been marred by the Rajasthan crisis. Gehlot is also likely to meet Gandhi on Thursday amid uncertainty over the filing of his nomination. According to sources close to Singh, the forme