Mayawati removes nephew from key BSP post, believes he 'requires further maturity'

The decision marks a setback for Akash Anand, whom Mayawati had elevated to a key BSP position in August 2025.

Updated on: Sep 3, 2026, 14:01:06 IST

By Rajesh Kumar Singh

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Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Thursday removed her nephew Akash Anand from the post of chief national coordinator, saying he needs more time to gain political “maturity” before being “entrusted with major responsibilities”.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati with her nephew Akash Anand (ANI file photo)

Addressing a meeting of the party’s national committee at the BSP’s state unit office in Lucknow, Mayawati said she had allowed Anand to continue working within the party.

“I have permitted Akash Anand to work within the party but believe he requires further maturity. It would be inappropriate to entrust him with major party responsibilities at this stage. Time is needed to ensure the party is not harmed in elections by opponents employing various tactics—such as conciliation, bribery, punishment, and division—to undermine it,” she said.

BSP supremo Mayawati chairs a meeting with senior party office-bearers and state-level leaders at the BSP state office in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India on Thursday, September 3, 2026. (Deepak Gupta/HT photo)

The decision marks a setback for Anand, whom Mayawati had elevated to a key position in August 2025. She had appointed him as the BSP’s national convenor, effectively placing him second in the party hierarchy and signalling his emergence as her political successor.

At the time, Mayawati had tasked Anand with helping revive the BSP ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and rebuilding the party’s connect with young voters.

The move was particularly significant as the BSP had been facing a challenge from the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram), led by Chandrashekhar Azad, which had been attracting sections of the younger electorate.

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