BSP chief Mayawati picks nephew Akash Anand as successor

New Delhi, December 10

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Sunday named nephew Akash Anand as her political successor, party leaders said.

The development comes months ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha elections.

Akash, 28, is national coordinator of the BSP. His father Anand Kumar, the brother of Mayawati, is national vice-president of the BSP.

Akash had campaigned actively for the BSP during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He was also seen by Mayawati’s side during the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Confirming the development, BSP Shahjahanpur district unit chief Udayveer Singh said: “Akash had been named ‘uttaradhikari’ (political successor) by Behenji (Mayawati).” She made the announcement at an all-India meet of the BSP in Lucknow.

BSP MLC Bhim Rao Ambedkar said, “We have got a youth leader in Akash. In states where the party organisation is weak, Akash will be strengthening it.” He said Akash has been given charge to strengthen the party all over India except Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand where it was strong.

The rise of another dynast is likely to give the BJP more fodder to attack the opposition in the run up to the 2024 general election. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already made anti-corruption, anti-appeasement and anti-dynasty a major election campaign. In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BSP contested Lok Sabha polls in alliance with the SP. The BSP won 10 seats and SP 5.