Anil Antony’s resignation from the Congress party has generated a lot of buzz in the political circles. His resignation has been seen as a blow to the party which is already facing an uphill battle to remain relevant in the state of Kerala. The Congress party has been struggling to keep up with the changing political scenario in the state and the resignation of a prominent member like Anil Antony is likely to further weaken the party’s position.
Anil Antony’s tweets in support of the BJP and his criticism of the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi had generated a lot of controversy. His statements were seen as a deviation from the party’s official stance and this led to calls for him to retract his tweets. However, Anil Antony refused to do so and instead decided to resign from the party.
He tweeted on Monday that placing the views of British state-sponsored channel BBC and Iraq war architect Jack Straw over those of Indian institutions is setting a dangerous precedent and undermines India’s sovereignty. He added that despite his differences with the BJP party, he believes this to be a concern.
I have resigned from my roles in @incindia @INCKerala.Intolerant calls to retract a tweet,by those fighting for free speech.I refused. @facebook wall of hate/abuses by ones supporting a trek to promote love! Hypocrisy thy name is! Life goes on. Redacted resignation letter below. pic.twitter.com/0i8QpNIoXW
— Anil K Antony (@anilkantony) January 25, 2023
Anil Antony’s resignation has also highlighted the growing rift within the Congress party. There have been reports of a growing divide within the party between the old guard and the new generation of leaders. The old guard is seen as being more conservative and cautious while the new generation is seen as being more progressive and vocal. Anil Antony’s resignation is a reflection of this growing divide within the party.
The Congress leader stated that despite internal differences, political parties should not allow foreign entities to exploit them and create division in the country. He added that he made the tweet due to concerns of this happening and that the overall stance of Congress is unchanged. He also mentioned the existence of institutions such as the Supreme Court. The leader was speaking from his conscience.
The Congress party is now facing a tough task in trying to regain its footing in Kerala. With Anil Antony’s resignation, the party has lost one of its most prominent leaders in the state. The party leadership will now need to work hard to fill the void left by his departure and find a way to unite the party and regain the support of the electorate.
