Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Tuesday (May 7) announced the removal of her nephew Akash Anand from the position of party's national coordinator and her political successor. Mayawati said that she is taking the decision in the larger interest of the party and Anand is being removed from the positions till he attains full maturity.
"It is known that BSP, besides being a party, is also a movement for self-respect and self-esteem of Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and social change for which Shri Kanshi Ram ji and I have dedicated our entire lives and a new generation is also being prepared to give it momentum," Mayawati said in a social media post on X.
The four-time Chief Minister said that Akash Anand's father Anand Kumar will continue to fulfill his responsibilities in the party and BSP will work to take forward the caravan of Bhimrao Ambedkar, "In the same sequence, along with promoting other people in the party, I declared Shri Akash Anand as the National Coordinator and her successor, 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," the former CM said.
"While his father Shri Anand Kumar will continue to fulfill his responsibilities in the party and the movement as before. Therefore, the leadership of BSP is not going to shy away from making every kind of sacrifice in the interest of the party and the movement and in taking forward the caravan of Baba Saheb Dr. Ambedkar," Mayawati added.
Key reason behind Mayawati's decision to sack Akash as successor amid Lok Sabha elections
A case of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violation was registered against BSP chief Mayawati's nephew Akash Anand and four others on April 28 (Sunday) for allegedly using objectionable language at a poll rally in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur. The action came after the district administration took suo motu cognisance of Akash Anand's speech at the rally earlier in the day.
Akash compares BJP govt to Taliban rule in Afghanistan in poll rally
In his election address, Akash said, "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.
Anand also cited a National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 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 Rs 16,000 crores through electoral bonds, he further alleged.
Case registered against Akash Anand, and other BSP leaders for Sitapur rally speech
A 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.
Sections imposed against Akash Anand
He added that the case was registered under sections IPC 171C (undue influence at elections), 153B (imputation, assertions prejudicial to national integration) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and section 125 of the RP Act (promoting enmity between classes in connection with election).
The speech was given to incite violence and with the use of unparliamentary language, violating the Model Code of Conduct, Mishra said.
When will Sitapur vote?
Sitapur will vote in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha polls on May 13 (Monday).
Who is Akash Anand? Know about his political background
Akash Anand, the son of Anand Kumar, the younger brother of BSP leader Mayawati, holds an MBA degree from a prestigious college in London. He has been actively involved in the party's affairs for several years, demonstrating a commitment to connecting with the youth. Akash took charge of organising the recent Assembly elections in three states- Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh as part of his efforts to engage younger demographics.
BSP chief announces Akash Anand as her successor on December 10, 2023
Mayawati, who inherited the political legacy of Kanshi Ram to advance Dr Ambedkar's vision for the Bahujan Samaj, announced on December 10, 2023, that her 29-year-old nephew Akash would be her political successor. Although the formal announcement was made four months ago, Akash has been apprenticing in the realm of politics under his aunt's guidance for nearly seven years.
What is Akash Anand's primary task?
Akash Anand, the nephew of BSP chief Mayawati, seems to have taken a more prominent role than his aunt, injecting a youthful energy into the party's efforts to regain political ground. For nearly a decade, he has been actively working to bolster the party's position and revitalise its image, presenting a fresh approach to leadership while supporting Mayawati's legacy as 'behen ji' (sister).
Akash's key task is to stimulate the party's cadre, and early indications from the ongoing elections suggest that he has achieved considerable success in this endeavour. Sporting a distinctive attire of a white shirt and blue pants paired with sports shoes, adorned with a white scarf featuring the blue elephant symbol, he is establishing a recognisable identity. His approach seems to be resonating well with the party's voter base, evident from the enthusiastic reception he receives on stage, with slogans like 'Aakash tum sangharsh karo' echoing in support of his efforts.
BSP faces an uphill task
Despite Akash Anand's effective initiatives, the task of strengthening the Bahujan Samaj Party nationwide is not going to be easy. In the last elections, apart from 10 MPs from Uttar Pradesh, no MP of the party from any other state won nor got significant votes. While the party contested elections in as many as 26 states, it struggled to even garner one per cent of the vote in half of them. In seven states, the party received less than two per cent of the votes, and in four states, it only managed to secure between three to four per cent of the votes.
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