BSP Supremo Mayawati Names Nephew Akash Anand As Her Political Successor

Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Sunday announced her nephew Akash Anand as her successor.

However, Mayawati will be the head of the party in Uttar Pradesh.

67-year-old Mayawati held the position of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on four occasions. Her ascent in Indian politics was once described by former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao as a "miracle of democracy."

She follows in the political footsteps of Kanshi Ram, a leader who spearheaded a movement for the Dalits and Bahujans in Uttar Pradesh. In 1995, when Mayawati assumed the role of Chief Minister for the first time, she made history as India's first Scheduled Caste Chief Minister.

The announcement follows just one day after the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) suspended its Member of Parliament from Amroha, Danish Ali, citing anti-party activities. Ali has refuted the allegations and expressed gratitude to Mayawati for his journey to becoming a Member of Parliament.

Confirming the development, BSP MLC Bhim Rao Ambedkar said, "We have got a youth leader in Akash Anand. In states where the party organisation is weak, Anand will be strengthening it." He added that the BSP's mission movement will continue.

Asked about Anand becoming Mayawati's successor, the BSP's state unit chief Vishwanath Pal said, "Pura Bahujan Samaj khush hai (The enitre Bahujan community is happy)." Anand is the party's national coordinator at present.

According to the party statement, Mayawati called upon the party workers to increase the BSP's support base for the Lok Sabha elections to liberate the poor, backward and deprived sections from the exploitative system of "vote hamara, raj tumhara (Our vote, your rule)", according to a report in PTI.