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As the party's dynasty politics takes shape, Bahujan Samajwadi Party's supremo Mayawati made a big announcement at a party meet on Sunday, 10 December stating that her nephew Akash Anand would be her political successor.
The 28-years-old Anand, a prominent face during Mayawati's Lok Sabha election campaign in 2019, is the national coordinator of the party.
Speaking with the media shortly after the meet, Udayveer Singh, BSP's Shahjahanpur district unit chief said, "BSP chief Mayawati has announced Akash Anand (Mayawati's nephew) as her successor..."
The key party meet was held to discuss the preparations for 2024 Lok Sabha elections and to analyse their performance in the recently concluded assembly polls in three states, including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
This comes a day after Lok Sabha MP Danish Ali, who recently became a target of a hateful exchange on the floor of the house, was suspended from the BSP.
Udayveer added that, "He (Anand) has been given the responsibility to strengthen the party organisation all over the country except Uttar Pradesh."
Chaudhary Sheeshpal Singh, BSP's state president in Uttarakhand said, "Whatever the orders and directions of Behenji Mayawati...we are Karyakartas and we work on them. BSP state president of Uttarakhand, whatever responsibility she takes on, we work on the same in our districts."
Some notes from the all-India Party meet:
"Opponent parties fight the elections using thousands of crores and hold very expensive campaigns while influencing the public however, BSP only relies on the blood and sweat of our party workers. There's a clear difference."
The chief criticised the parties for foul play, making false promises, dirty and communal politics.
The party chief also made scathing remarks against the mainstream Indian media, that instead of being critical and questioning them, they have propagated their election efforts.
Thereby, she also noted in the All-India party meet that election "gathbandhan" has done more harm than good to BSP. Stating that their votes get transferred to other parties while they are not able transfer votes to her party.
In August, Akash led the 14-day "Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay." The long Padyatra and his evidently public role had been an indicator towards the possible shift in the party's strategy ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The first election rally that Akash had addressed was for the SP-BSP-RLD alliance candidate in Agra during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections when the Election Commission had imposed a 48-hour ban on Mayawati.
This year, Akash was seen co-chairing meeting along with Mayawati, as The Times of India reported.
Anand who is often seen in party circles had been virtually in-charge of the party's affairs in Rajasthan since last year when he had toured the state to grasp an understanding of the party's organisational strength and had also participated in a 13-km yatra in Alwar on BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary.
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