Anil Antony, son of former defense minister and stalwart Congress politician AK Antony, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) on Thursday in the presence of union ministers Piyush Goyal and V. Muraleedharan.
"Every Congress worker believes they are working for a family. But I believe I am working for the country," Antony said while joining the BJP. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a very clear vision of putting India in a leading place in a multipolar world."
Meanwhile, union minister Piyush Goyal, who was attending the event, said that Anil Antony is a "very grounded political worker."
Anil's father, A.K. Antony, is among the top leaders of the Congress from Kerala, having previously served as state chief and federal defense minister from 2004 to 2014.
When asked if he consulted his father before joining BJP, Antony said, "This is not about personalities, this is about differences of opinion and ideas. I strongly believe that I have taken the right step. My respect for my father will remain the same."
Meanwhile, A.K. Antony said his son's move deeply hurt him and he did not approve of it.
"I have always upheld the values of democracy, secularism and social justice. I will never compromise on these principles. I will stand against the BJP's ideology till my last breath," the former minister told reporters.