Mayawati, the leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), announced on Thursday that she has removed her nephew, Akash Anand, from his position as chief national coordinator. This decision comes as she believes he requires additional time to develop the necessary political maturity before taking on significant responsibilities 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. 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.
The decision marks a setback for Anand, whom Mayawati had elevated to a key position in August 2025.
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. 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.
