A K Antony may be forced to campaign against son Anil in Kerala as Modi roadshow in state draws near

Thiruvananthapuram: With Prime Minister Narendra Modi coming down for road show at Pathanamthitta in Kerala where Congress senior leader A K Antony's son Anil Antony in contesting as BJP's candidate, Kerala is curiously awaiting Antony's decision on whether he will campaign for Congress' candidate, the sitting MP Anto Antony, at Pathanamthitta or not.

Pathanamthitta District Congress Committee President Satheeshan Kochuparambil recently said that Antony would be invited for election campaign at Pathanamthitta. But Antony is yet to react to it.

Congress sources said that campaign schedules of senior leaders would be decided only once the election schedules were announced. In order to avoid political criticism for the Congress, Antony would most likely campaign at Pathanamthitta by at least participating in a road show, said sources.

Modi is scheduled to campaign for BJP candidates at Palakkad on March 15 and Pathanamthitta on March 17. This year so far Modi attended three public meetings in Kerala and staged road shows at Thrissur and Kochi. The frequent visits of Modi to Kerala highlights BJP's focus on Kerala and other southern states in the Lok Sabha polls.

Anil Antony, who quit the Congress and joined the BJP last year, is taking on three time Congress MP Anto Antony and former finance minister T M Thomas Isaac at Pathanamthitta. Christian vote banks and NRI connections are key factors of the constituency.

Even as the BJP hopes that former Congress leader P C George, who recently joined the ruling party at the Centre, could help in canvassing among Christians in the state to garner more votes in Kerala for BJP.

George was reportedly unhappy over Anil's candidature as George himself was pinning hopes of becoming BJP's candidate from Pathanamthitta.

Modi's proposed roadshow at Palakkad also assumes significance as Palakkad is also considered as an 'A+' constituency by the party. BJP state general secretary C Krishnakumar, who is contesting against sitting MP V K Sreekantan and CPM politburo member A Vijayaraghavan, had secured over 21 percent of votes last time.