The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati named her nephew Akash Anand as her successor. The announcement was made during a party meeting on Sunday in Lucknow, marking a strategic move for the BSP's future leadership.
Akash had accompanied his 67-year-old aunt on election campaigns in the four states. The decision to appoint Akash as the successor came after the party's dismal performance in the Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana elections.
Who is Akash Anand?
Akash, the 28-year-old son of Mayawati's younger brother Anand Kumar, describes himself on social media as "a young supporter of Baba Saheb's vision" and that he stands for "education, empowerment and equality." He pursued his primary education at Pathways World School in Gurgaon and in 2016 earned a degree in Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Plymouth, the UK. He entered politics in 2017, and in 2019, Mayawati appointed him as the national co-ordinator of the BSP. According to his LinkedIn profile, he established the DJT Corporation and Investment Company in 2016.
In March this year, he tied the knot with Pragya, the daughter of BSP leader Ashok Siddharth, who shares close ties with Mayawati. The BSP supremo had earlier entrusted Akash with party responsibilities during the recent assembly elections, anticipating a potential leadership transition.
Known for avoiding public statements, Anand has recently began expressing his views openly. His remarks on Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar sparked discussions within political circles.
