Senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy termed as "cruel" the charge that A K Antony's son Anil has been given a backdoor entry into the party.
"Antony's son is doing the party a service," Chandy told Onmanorama during an exclusive interview. “He is someone who was directly and closely involved in the modern campaign techniques employed by the Congress in states like Rajasthan. It was not as if he came seeking a post. It was we who wanted Anil in Kerala. He has agreed to take up this post (KPCC's IT cell convenor) only after he was requested to,” Chandy said.
The induction of Anil Antony had caused a near revolt within the party. A resolution moved by KSU's Kochi unit on February 10 had warned that preparations were on “for the coronation of those persons who never worked for the organization.” If anyone were in doubt about who the target was, the next line was helpful. “At present, the new trend in Congress politics in Kerala is the rise of the dynasty.” The resolution went on to say that such a move had caused serious concern among the youth who were working selflessly for the party.
The KSU resolution also hinted at an old guard conspiracy to insert their children into top positions in the state unit of the party. “KSU suspects that those who are behind this move are conducting a test dose for further appointments. It is the duty of student and youth outfits to defuse these test doses,” it said.
Chandy called the resolution “unfortunate”. “The KSU president himself has now corrected it,” he said. KSU president K Abhijith had later disowned the resolution. Chandy also said that relatives of political leaders entering politics was neither new nor a Congress-specific one. “The only thing is that their entry to positions of responsibility should be based on their organisational work,” he said.
Besides the KSU, the Youth Congress, too, was upset at the arrival of Anil Antony. “At a time when even the reorganisation of the KPCC has been put on hold, and the Youth Congress elections have been stalled, we have A K Antony's son being dropped from above into a top post,” a Youth Congress leader said on condition of anonymity.
It is the timing that seems to have aroused suspicion. “We have information that just before this appointment Anil Antony had done a study on his electoral prospects in Wayanad,” a top Congress leader said. There were also concerns that Anil was eyeing Chalakkudy seat, too.
It is said that only K Muraleedharan had been thrown on the party like this, without any warning. “Most of the sons of Congress leaders now in politics – be it Hibi Eden or Shoukath Aryadan – had been through the grind. They had worked in the party for a few years. If no one seriously objected to Sabarinathan's entry it was because his presence was needed for the party's victory in Aruvikkara after former Speaker G Karthikeyan's death,” the Congress leader said.
Chandy, however, assured that the youth would get what they deserve, even when candidates are picked for the elections. “Rahul Gandhi is a leader who sincerely wants to bring the youth and women to the forefront of the party leadership,” he said.