Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 17 (NationPress) The former Chief Minister of Kerala and the nation’s longest-serving Defence Minister, A.K. Antony, declared during a press conference on Wednesday that he intends to address "specific matters in his political journey" following the upcoming Assembly elections next year.

At 85 years old, he affirmed, "If I am still around, I will certainly share insights after the Assembly elections scheduled for April/May 2026." This statement came during a rare interaction with the media.

Antony noted, "I hadn’t planned to speak today, but recent discussions about my tenure prompted me to address the media. The ruling Left has repeatedly raised these topics during the ongoing Assembly session, so I felt it necessary to respond, focusing on those two incidents."

He mentioned that numerous journalists have approached him in the past to document his experiences.

"If I am alive post-elections, I will indeed talk about certain aspects of my political career," he added.

Antony highlighted that it has been 21 years since he withdrew from Kerala politics, having engaged in national political matters since 2004.

He appeared at the state party headquarters to counter criticisms made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during the Assembly.

"Faced with a one-sided attack, I felt it necessary to clarify the police actions at the Sree Narayana Guru abode in Sivagiri back in 1995. Following a High Court order, I had to deploy police after all other options were exhausted. The situation surrounding the police intervention to facilitate Swami Prakashananda's leadership was unfortunate," he explained.

On the Muthanga incident (2003), Antony expressed considerable remorse.

"I was responsible for allocating significant land to the Adivasis, yet I was unjustly accused of harming them," he remarked.

He emphasized that Muthanga was a wildlife sanctuary, and when huts were constructed there, political factions and the media demanded their removal.

"During the police action, one Adivasi and one policeman lost their lives. Afterward, public sentiment shifted, and I was blamed. It's worth noting that for the past 15 years since the incident, the Left has been in power and has failed to provide land to the Adivasis," Antony stated.

He urged the current Left government to release the judicial report on the Sivagiri incident and the CBI report regarding the Muthanga shooting to the public, asserting, "I may not be active, but I am not retired from politics."