A day after Anil Antony, the son of veteran Congress leader AK Antony, joined the BJP snapping all association with the grand old party, his younger sibling Ajith on Friday said the decision was "very impulsive" and that the saffron party would throw him out like "curry leaves" after using him temporarily.
Talking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Ajith Antony said his brother had not given the slightest hint to the family about his decision, and it was a shock to all of them when they saw the news flash on TV channels.
"Pappa (AK Antony) was seen sitting with utmost pain in a corner of the house. I have never ever seen him so weak like this in my life. He did not shed tears, that's all," Ajith added.
Saying his brother would have his own reasons to join the BJP, he said that Anil also used to receive abusive calls from unknown Congress party workers, which might have hurt him.
"I thought he would stay away from the (Congress) party out of anger, but I never ever thought that he would go to the BJP. The decision was a totally unexpected one," Anil’s brother said, adding that he believes that he will come back to the Congress party after rectifying his mistakes.
Citing the examples of leaders like Alphons Kannanthanam and Tom Vadakkan, who had joined the BJP a few years ago, Ajith said BJP would use everyone temporarily.
"He probably would have gone, as he felt that it would be good for him. But, I will say again and again that they (BJP) will throw him out like curry leaves," he asserted.
Anil Antony, who used to head the Digital Media Cell of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, joined the BJP in the presence of Union ministers Piyush Goyal and V Muraleedharan in New Delhi on Thursday.
Anil quit the Congress two months ago, after criticising the party's stand on the controversial documentary film of the BBC on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also slammed the Congress leadership for working for a "single family" instead of for the country.
Speaking to reporters on his son’s move, an emotionally charged AK Antony had later said that it was a "wrong" decision.
"I am deeply pained by Anil's decision to join the BJP. It was a wrong decision," the former Defence Minister had said.
(With PTI inputs)
