Mayawati Designates Nephew Akash Anand as Successor in Major Announcement Ahead of 2024 LS Polls
Mayawati, the leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), has officially named her nephew, Akash Anand, as her successor, according to party sources on Sunday.
The announcement took place during a crucial party meeting focused on preparations for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Leaders present at the meeting revealed that Mayawati has entrusted Akash Anand with the responsibility of strengthening the party's presence in states beyond Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
A party official who attended the meeting stated, "Our leader, Mayawati, has declared that Akash Anand Ji will assume the role of her successor in the future. She has also assigned him the task of fortifying the party in states where its influence is currently weaker. Mayawati affirmed that she will continue to lead the party in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, while Akash Anand Ji will take the lead in other states."
Akash Anand, the son of Mayawati's younger brother, Anand Kumar, previously oversaw the party's electoral preparations in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh. Departing from the party's conventional strategy, he led a 14-day padayatra (foot march) in Rajasthan in August, where he has been overseeing party affairs since the previous year. Despite his efforts, the party fell short of its 2018 performance, securing only the constituencies of Sadulpur and Bari.
Akash actively participated in campaigns in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana as well. In June, Mayawati deployed him and Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Gautam, the central coordinator for these states, to spearhead the election campaign focusing on issues concerning Dalits, religious minorities, OBCs, and tribals. On August 9, Akash led a foot march in Bhopal, during which there was an attempt to gherao the Raj Bhavan, highlighting the concerns of marginalized communities. However, the party faced setbacks in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana, failing to secure any seats despite its concerted efforts.
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