Anto Antony

Anto Antony Punnathaniyil was born on 1 May 1957 in Moonnilavu, Kottayam district, Kerala, to Kuruvilla Antony and Chinnamma Antony. He pursued higher education at St. Thomas College, Palai, and later studied law at Kerala Law Academy Law College, Thiruvananthapuram, and Government Law College, Ernakulam, along with further studies at Rajagiri College of Social Sciences. His academic background in arts, law, and social sciences supported his later transition into public life and electoral politics.

Antony initially contested the 2004 Lok Sabha elections from the Kottayam constituency as a Congress candidate but lost to CPI(M) leader K. Suresh Kurup, who secured 341,213 votes against Antony’s 298,299. Despite the defeat, the election marked his entry into national parliamentary politics and strengthened his visibility within the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala.

In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, he contested from the newly created Pathanamthitta constituency as a United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate and won decisively in the first election held in that district. He secured 408,232 votes, defeating CPI(M) candidate K. Ananthagopan, who received 297,026 votes, and BJP candidate B. Radhakrishna Menon, who polled 56,294 votes, along with three other candidates. This victory marked his entry into the 15th Lok Sabha.

He went on to retain the Pathanamthitta seat in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, consolidating his position as a key Congress representative from central Kerala. During his parliamentary tenure, he has served on various standing and consultative committees, contributing to discussions on transport, tourism, culture, minority affairs, and other national issues.

As of 2026, Anto Antony continues to serve as a Member of Parliament from Pathanamthitta, participating in legislative proceedings and constituency development initiatives under the Indian National Congress banner.