'BJP will crush and throw Anil Antony like curry leaves': Brother Ajit

Ajit Paul Antony said the decision of his brother Anil Antony to join the BJP was impulsive. Later, his father and former defence minister AK Antony said Anil's decision was wrong.

Thiruvananthapuram:Veteran Congress Leader AK Antony's younger son Ajit Paul Antony on Friday said that BJP will "crush and throw off" his brother Anil Antony, who joined BJP yesterday after quitting Congress, like curry leaves. Terming Anil's decision to be impulsive, Ajit said he was hopeful that his brother would rectify his mistake and return to Congress.

Citing examples of the rejection faced by leaders namely Alphons Kannanthanam and Tom Vadakkan, who joined the BJP a few years ago, Ajit said BJP will use him only for a temporary period. "I don't know anything about the understanding between Anil and the BJP. He can stay in the BJP if he feels that it will be good for his political career. But, I will again repeat that the BJP will crush him and then throw him away like curry leaves," Ajit told reporters. He said that the family was completely in the dark over Anil's move and was shocked to see him joining the BJP. "Anil's move is completely unexpected. AK Anthony and all others in the family are unhappy," Ajit said.

He further said that Anil was miffed by the Congress workers and would often receive abusive calls from unknown workers but nobody had expected that he would take the drastic step of joining the BJP. Later, AK Antony had told in Kerala that Anil's decions was wrong and it pained him.

Anil, who had earlier headed the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee's digital media cell, joined the BJP on Thursday in presence of Union ministers Piyush Goyal and V Murleedharan. Two months back, he had quit the Congress after slamming the party over its stand on the BBC's documentary film of Prime Minister Modi and had also criticised it for working for a family instead of the country.