Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Tuesday said she has removed nephew Akash Anand as her successor and as national coordinator of the party till he becomes ‘politically mature’.
In a series of social media posts on X, Mayawati reaffirmed the party's commitment to the ideals of Dr BR Ambedkar and the “ongoing movement for social change”. She said Akash Anand was appointed as BSP's national coordinator and was declared her successor for providing momentum to this movement.
“But in the larger interest of the party and the movement, he is being removed from both these important responsibilities until he attains full maturity,” she said.
She said her brother and Akash's father Anand Kumar will continue to fulfil his responsibilities as before.
The surprise decision comes on the day voting was held for the third phase of the Lok Sabha polls in the country.
Akash Anand was made national coordinator of the BSP in 2019 when Mayawati rejigged the party organisation after severing ties with the Samajwadi Party. Akash was named Mayawati's successor in December last year at a crucial party meeting in Lucknow. He was also tasked to manage the party affairs in the states where the organisation was weak.
{{/usCountry}}Akash Anand was made national coordinator of the BSP in 2019 when Mayawati rejigged the party organisation after severing ties with the Samajwadi Party. Akash was named Mayawati's successor in December last year at a crucial party meeting in Lucknow. He was also tasked to manage the party affairs in the states where the organisation was weak.
{{/usCountry}}It is unclear what prompted the BSP supremo to remove her nephew from key party posts and drop him as successor.
Akash was booked late last month for the violation of the Model Code of Conduct after he allegedly used objectionable language at an election rally in Sitapur.
"This government is a bulldozer government and a government of traitors. The party that leaves its youth hungry and enslaves its elderly is a terrorist government. Taliban runs such a government in Afghanistan," the BSP leader said.
In his address, Anand also cited a National Crime Records Bureau report of 16,000 kidnapping incidents in the state and accused the government of failing to provide safety to women and children.
The BJP is a party of thieves who took ₹16,000 crores through electoral bonds, he further alleged.
The case was registered against Anand, the BSP's national coordinator, party candidates Mahendra Yadav, Shyam Awasthi and Akshay Kalra and rally organiser Vikas Rajvanshi, Superintendent of Police (Sitapur) Chakresh Mishra said.