Mayawati Names Ishan Anand BSP National Coordinator, Akash Sidelined
Mayawati appointed nephew Ishan Anand as BSP national coordinator, replacing his brother Akash Anand, who remains relieved of all party responsibilities.
Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has appointed her nephew Ishan Anand as the party's new national coordinator, replacing his brother Akash Anand. The announcement was tucked into the final point of a party press statement issued after an all-India review meeting of the BSP's national executive, held at the party headquarters in Lucknow and chaired by the four-time former Uttar Pradesh chief minister.
Ishan and Akash are sons of Anand Kumar, Mayawati's younger brother and a BSP national vice-president. Their sister is Deepika Anand. Ishan, who has completed his LLM and legal studies, attended the meeting alongside his father. Akash, who has been relieved of all party responsibilities, was not present.
In his address after the appointment, Ishan thanked Mayawati for entrusting him with what he called the big responsibility of national coordinator, saying he would discharge his duties with full honesty and dedication. He invoked the legacy of BR Ambedkar and BSP founder Kanshi Ram, and said he would work along the path shown by Mayawati, according to a party statement. He also assured party workers that he would carry forward the party's activities and would not disappoint them.
At the review meeting, Mayawati again attacked Akash, claiming he continues to work under the influence of his father-in-law. On September 3, she had removed Akash from the post of chief national coordinator, saying he needed greater maturity and that it would not be appropriate to entrust him with major responsibilities at that stage. She had also said he was being influenced by his father-in-law Ashok Siddharth, a former BSP Rajya Sabha MP expelled for alleged anti-party activities. A week later, she said Akash had been set completely free from the party.
Earlier this month, Mayawati had said neither Akash nor Ishan would be given any position in the party. She subsequently announced that Ishan would be given a respectable role, while Akash and Deepika would remain away from party responsibilities.