Who is Akash Anand, Mayawati's nephew and the chosen successor to lead BSP

Mayawati, the chief of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), announced on December 10 that her nephew, 28-year-old Akash Anand, is set to take the reins of the party as her successor. Akash has been actively involved in the party's affairs, particularly in Rajasthan, where he has served as the BSP's national coordinator since last year.

Akash Anand, who identifies himself as a "young supporter of Baba Saheb's vision" on his official account, has steadily risen through the ranks. His growing prominence within the party became evident during the state-level review meeting held in Lucknow in August, presided over by Mayawati. The meeting was convened to assess the party's preparations for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Notably, Akash Anand led the BSP's 14-day 'Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay Sankalp Yatra' in the same month, showcasing his active involvement in grassroots initiatives.

Mayawati had initially announced Akash's entry into the party in January 2019, dismissing allegations of nepotism. However, she clarified that he had declined the post of the party's vice president. Mayawati stated, "Recently, I appointed Anand as Vice President, but due to nepotism, he himself decided not to take the post."

Subsequently, in June, Mayawati's brother Anand Kumar assumed the role of vice-president, while Akash Anand was designated as the national coordinator.

Despite controversies surrounding nepotism, Akash Anand has emerged as a key figure in BSP's leadership. In 2019, he addressed his first political rally, urging support for the Samajwadi Party-BSP-Rashtriya Lok Dal alliance when the Election Commission imposed a 48-hour campaign ban on Mayawati.