Despite Modi campaigning for him, Anil Antony fails to secure votes even Surendran got last time in Pathanamthitta

PATHANAMTHITTA: As in Thrissur, Pathanamthitta was a Lok Sabha constituency where the BJP central leadership directly decided the candidate. There, BJP fielded Anil Antony, son of former chief minister and senior Congress leader AK Antony, as its candidate. BJP's eyes were on Christian votes in Pathanamthitta. But this time Anil Antony did not even get the votes that K Surendran secured in the last Lok Sabha election. Last time K Surendran got 2,97,396 votes, but this time Anil Antony managed to get only 2,34,406 votes.

Another blow to the BJP was the presence of former LDF minister Thomas Isaac. PC George had initially expressed interest in contesting from the Pathanamthitta constituency, which includes Poonjar. But George's hopes were shattered when Anil Antony was made the BJP candidate.

But George, who was relaxed in the leadership's intervention, offered support to Anil Antony. But it should be assumed that this was not reflected in the election results. Whether the PC factor helped Anil will be clear only in further evaluation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived and campaigned for Anil Antony but could not win or get more votes. After Modi came to the campaign, Anil Antony, who reacted as if he had won, also backfired.