Veteran Congress Leader A.K. Antony Hints at Revealing Political Secrets After Kerala Assembly Elections
In a surprise move, three-time Kerala Chief Minister A.K. Antony opened up to the media in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. The 85-year-old Congress veteran, who also served as India’s longest-serving Defence Minister, promised to share untold stories from his long political career—but only after the Kerala Assembly elections in 2026.
"I am 85 now, and if I’m still around after the polls in April or May 2026, I’ll definitely speak out about certain things in my political life," Antony said during a rare press meet at the state Congress headquarters. He made it clear he hadn’t planned to talk to reporters, but recent jabs in the ongoing Assembly session by the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) pushed him to respond.
Antony, who stepped away from Kerala politics 21 years ago in 2004 to focus on national roles, addressed two key controversies from his time as Chief Minister: the 1995 Sivagiri police action and the 2003 Muthanga incident. These came up again in sharp criticism from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during a recent Assembly debate.
Starting with Sivagiri, Antony recalled the tense events at the Sree Narayana Guru shrine. "The Kerala High Court ordered us to ensure a new set of elected office-bearers took charge, with Swami Prakashananda as the leader. I tried every other way first, but had to send in the police. What happened next was truly unfortunate," he explained. He urged the current LDF government to release the judicial probe report on the incident to set the record straight.
Turning to the Muthanga tribal land agitation, Antony expressed deep regret over the tragic clash. "I gave the largest share of land to Adivasis during my tenure, yet they accused me of burning them alive," he said sadly. The area was a wildlife sanctuary, and when protesters built huts there, all political parties and media outlets demanded action. The police operation led to the death of one Adivasi and one policeman. "Suddenly, everyone turned against me. But even after 21 years of Left rule, they haven’t handed over the land to the tribals. No one can," Antony pointed out.
He called on the Pinarayi Vijayan government to make public the CBI report on the Muthanga firing, emphasizing transparency. "I’m not active in politics anymore, but I’m not retired either," Antony added with a smile.
Over the years, many journalists and writers have approached Antony to pen his life story. This press conference feels like a teaser for what’s to come. As Kerala gears up for the 2026 Assembly elections, Antony’s revelations could shake up the political scene. Stay tuned—his words might just rewrite chapters of Kerala politics history.
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