Antony a surprise choice

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress High Command's decision to nominate former Kerala Chief Minister A.K. Antony as the candidate for the June 3 Rajya Sabha by-election from the state has come as a surprise as his name was not there in the panel of probables submitted by the KPCC to the Central leadership.



Antony will be filing his nomination on Tuesday. The former chief minister himself had shown no interest in grabbing the upper house berth, left vacant by veteran leader K. Karunakaran after he broke away from the Congress and floated National Congress Indira.



According to sources, it was around 8 P.M. that the AICC General Secretary in charge of Kerala affairs, Ahmed Patel, called Antony to inform him that he was going to be the choice for the Rajya Sabha berth. Though initially reluctant, the former chief minister accepted the high command decision as it was the choice of AICC President Sonia Gandhi. Talking to reporters later, Antony said "it is a bit surprising, a bit dramatic".



Meanwhile, announcing the candidature of Antony in Thiruvananthapuram, KPCC president Thennala Balakrishna Pillai told newspersons that considering the strength of the Congress-led United Democratic Front in the Kerala Assembly, the former Kerala Chief Minister will have smooth entry into the Upper House of Parliament.



It was a last minute decision to send Antony, three-time Kerala Chief Minister and former Union Minister to the Rajya Sabha and he himself described it as a ''dramatic move.'' ''I came to know about it only this evening,'' Mr Antony said, adding that as a loyal party worker he would abide by the decision of the High Command and do the best for the state.



There were several aspirants for the post within the Congress. Coalition partner in the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) - Kerala Congress (M) - had also put forward its strong claim for the seat.



Arackaparambil Kurian Antony, was the Chief Minister of Kerala during 1977-78, 1995-96, and 2001-2004. He was the Leader of Opposition in Kerala Legislative Assembly during 1996 to 2001.



Born on December 28, 1940 as the son of Arackaparambil Kurian Pillai and Elikutty at Cherthala in Alappuzha, he had his primary education in Government High school, Cherthala and took his degree in BA from Maharajas College and BL from Law College, Ernakulam. He came to the public platform leading the student's movements as an activist of Kerala Student's Union (KSU). He served as the president of KSU, Youth Congress and KPCC before becoming the AICC General Secretary in 1984. He was elected several times to the Congress Working Committee.



Antony was a member of Rajya Sabha from 1985 to 91 and 1991 to 1995 and was the minister for Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution in Narasimha Rao ministry.