Believers Church in Pathanamthitta constituency has thrown its support behind Anil Antony, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on April 26.

This marks the first time a church body publicly endorses a BJP candidate in Kerala.

At a gathering organized by the Believers Eastern Church in Thiruvalla, attended by over 100 priests, Anil Antony was endorsed as the preferred choice for Pathanamthitta’s Lok Sabha representative. The Metropolitan of Kerala, Mar Silvanious, and Church PRO Rev. Father Sijo Panthapallil were present at the meeting, solidifying the church’s support for Antony.

Furthermore, the Believers Church has pledged its backing to Rajiv Chandrasekhar in Thiruvananthapuram.

With approximately 10,000 families affiliated with the church, its endorsement holds significant sway in the constituency. Additionally, the church operates microfinance institutions that aid numerous families in the region.

Pathanamthitta is poised for an intense electoral battle, with Anil Antony facing off against incumbent MP Anto Antony of the Congress and veteran CPM leader and former state finance minister Thomas Issac.

Anil Antony, son of veteran Congress leader and former Kerala Chief Minister AK Antony, made the switch to BJP in April last year after resigning from the Congress party. Previously, he served as the digital media convenor of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and the national coordinator of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

While the Congress party clinched 15 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, its allies, including the Indian Union Muslim League and the Revolutionary Socialist Party, secured three seats collectively. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) also secured one seat in Alappuzha.

All eyes are now on the upcoming polls as Kerala gears up for the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26, with 20 constituencies set to cast their votes.

(ANI)