Lucknow: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Sunday removed her nephew Akash Anand from all party posts.

The BSP national president also stated in no uncertain terms that nobody would be her successor in the party till she is alive.  

The latest shake-up in the party came after a crucial meeting, where it was decided to appoint BSP general secretary Anand Kumar and Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Gautam as the new national coordinators.

BSP supremo Mayawati stressed that the development of Uttar Pradesh's Bahujan community is vital not only for the state's progress but also for the advancement of the entire country.

She further stated that Anand Kumar, who currently serves as the party's vice-president, will oversee key party activities, including income-tax and litigation matters, in her absence and with her due consent.

Expressing confidence in Anand Kumar’s leadership, Mayawati said he has always remained loyal to the party’s mission and has never disappointed her.

“Apart from monitoring all official works, he also maintains good contact with workers and people on the ground and also gives me good feedback, time to time,” she said while praising Anand Kumar’s loyalty towards party.  

Akash Anand was removed as the party’s national coordinator due to the alleged negative influence of his father-in-law, Ashok Siddharth. Siddharth was expelled from the party earlier for attempting to create factionalism and weaken its organisational strength.

This marks the second time Akash Anand has been stripped of his party position. The first instance was in May 2024, just before the Lok Sabha elections. However, he was reinstated two months later after the elections concluded. IANS