Oommen Chandy’s wife disappointed with Anil Antony and Padmaja joining BJP

MARIYAMMA Oommen, former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s wife, said Congress leaders Padmaja Venugopal and Anil K Antony leaving the party to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had hurt her on a personal level. She added that her children will never join the BJP in any circumstances.  

Anil Antony, son of former Defence Minister AK Antony, joined the BJP on April 4, 2023. Before joining the BJP, he was the Convener of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee's (KPCC) digital media. He will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha election on a BJP ticket in the Pathanamthitta constituency against Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s Thomas Issac and United Democratic Front candidate (UDF) candidate Anto Antony.

Padmaja Venugopal, daughter of former Congress Chief Minister K Karunakaran, joined the BJP in March 2024. She was the General Secretary of KPCC before joining the BJP. She contested from the Thrissur assembly constituency in 2016 and 2021, losing both times. She had alleged that people from within the Congress party had defeated her.

“For me, Anil is like my son Chandy Oommen. But my family members and I will campaign for Congress in the Pathanamthitta constituency. Our friendship with AK Antony's family runs deep and I will value it forever,” Mariyamma added.

This would be the first Lok Sabha election after Oomemen Chandy’s demise in July 2023. His son Chandy Oommen contested the bye-election in Puthupally and won by a big margin.