MC Interview |Talented leaders undermined in Congress: Anil K Antony  

BJP, led by Prime Minister Modi, has a very clear direction to steer the country forward says Anil K Antony.

Anil Antony is not the first leader to leave the Congress and join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The former Congress leader from Kerala is the son of veteran party leader AK Antony. The 37-year-old technocrat’s departure comes at a time when Sachin Pilot is protesting against his own government in Rajasthan, one of the states where the Grand Old Party is in power.

Days after joining the BJP, Anil Antony spoke about why he quit the Congress. His views, as told to the writer, follow: 

On joining the BJP

Congress has been talking only about its glorious past but doesn’t have any understanding about what aspirational India wants. Aspirational India wants social and economic mobility, socio and economic justice. People want to move forward in life with employment opportunities. The Congress party doesn’t have any plan or vision for young India, which constitutes almost 60-65 percent of the population.

There are many political parties in India including the regional ones, but other than the BJP, most are restricted to a very limited geography. And these parties have a very parochial vision.

At the same time, the BJP, led by Prime Minister Modi, has a very clear direction it wants to steer the country. Normally parties think election to election but the BJP has an aspiration, ambition and mission to transform India into a developed country by 2047.

This is a party thinking about the next 25 years. For a young Indian like me, who wants to be part of the nation-building and transformation process, this was the logical choice. The leadership gave me the opportunity to join the party on its foundation day.

Didn’t consult father

My father and I are different individuals. We are part of the family and have our beliefs and sense of understanding. My love and affection for him have not changed and will continue.

He has been in the Congress party for 65 years and will be a Congressman. Politically, we have different views and I had not informed him of my decision. He got to know only after I joined the party. This is an independent country, where everyone has the freedom to pursue their own interests and paths.

Congress losing ground

I don’t believe that the Congress party led by Rahul Gandhi is the present or the future of the country. I am convinced that the BJP led by PM Modi is the present and the future of the country.

For example, I have certain experiences and skill sets, which I would like to use to do something meaningful. In Congress when I look around, there are many people, tall stalwarts who have contributed to the party for 40 years and more, and many young talents. All were being misused, underutilised…

Since these people’s opinions are not being considered seriously, many people are leaving the party. Look at leaders like Amarinder Singh, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Himanta Biswa Sarma and Jaiveer Shergill.

The Congress does have a fundamental problem. Even now there are many popular grassroots leaders with great mass appeal like Shashi Tharoor and  Sachin Pilot, who I believe are good leaders and underutilised.

The party has not been able to decide on a major role for Pilot despite the fact he is capable of steering the party at the national level.

Rahul Gandhi doesn’t listen

I don’t know whose advice Rahul Gandhi takes.  Just two days back, Sharad Pawar, who I believe is the seniormost active leader of the United Progressive Alliance, advised Gandhi on the Adani issue. And the very next day, he did something which was shocking. He tweeted against Gautam Adani and this clearly shows he doesn’t listen to anyone.

Rahul Gandhi has been doing what people of experience have advised him not to do. Many leaders are upset with his policies and politics because he keeps a coterie of sycophants around him.

People around him were never serious about the party’s performance.