BSP chief Mayawati says her political heir will be from the Dalit community

BSP chief says she is in good health and there is no need to name her successor at present, rather she will continue working for the party for several years

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Friday said her political successor would be from the Dalit community which had supported her and the party during hard times with honesty.

BSP chief Mayawati has said the members of the Dalit community stood by the party despite several ups and downs in its political journey. (File photo)

Addressing a press conference, Mayawati said, “My health is good, there is no need to announce a successor at present. When my health deteriorates, I will announce my successor to manage the affairs of the party. I will make a public announcement about my successor. I will remain fit and healthy to continue to work for the party. It will take several years for me to become unfit.”

“Even during the Covid-19 pandemic when several people were infected with the coronavirus disease, I remained free from it. The people who raise the issue of my successor should know that when the party founder Kanshi Ram was alive, he did not announce the name of his successor. It was only when he fell sick that he named me as his successor. I wish to make it clear that my successor will be from the Dalit community.”

Since its foundation, the BSP had witnessed several ups and downs in its political journey but the members of the Dalit community stood by the party, she said.

There was speculation in the party that the BSP chief will name her nephew Akash Anand as her political successor before the assembly election. She had appointed Akash as the national coordinator of the party.

Unlike other parties, the BSP did not release manifestoes before the assembly or the Lok Sabha elections, Mayawati said.

“The BSP believes in action, rather than making promises to the people. It has run the government for four terms in Uttar Pradesh. The party has done historical works for the sarva samaj (all communities), and classes, youths, farmers, traders, women and labourers,” she said.

Be it the present Bhartiya Janata Party government or the previous Samajwadi Party regime, both re- launched the welfare schemes and development projects of the BSP government by renaming the schemes, she alleged.

The schemes and projects should be implemented on the ground, she said, adding that their benefits should reach the people.

“The masses cannot be taken for a ride by announcing the launch of schemes,” she said.

Asserting that the Bahujan Samaj Party was not funded by the capitalists, but run with the contribution of the poor, she said the party took contributions from its resourceful members to run the organisation and manage the election campaigns.

The party had also launched relief operations during Covid-19 pandemic, flood and other natural calamities, she said.