Akash Anand, the 28-year-old nephew of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, has been named as her successor to lead the party on December 10, 2023. Akash, who has been actively involved in the party’s affairs, particularly in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, will now take charge of the BSP’s national coordination and expansion.

Akash is the son of Mayawati’s younger brother, Anand Kumar, who has also been appointed as the party’s national vice-president Akash completed his MBA from the University of Plymouth in England and returned to India in 2015. He has been handling his father’s business interests in various sectors, including real estate, hospitality, and finance.

Akash made his first public appearance with Mayawati in 2016, when he accompanied her to Saharanpur after a Dalit-Thakur clash. He was also introduced to the BSP cadres during a rally in Meerut in 2017. Since then, he has been seen with Mayawati in various political events, including the press conference of the SP-BSP alliance in January 2019 and the Lok Sabha election campaigns.

Akash is credited with launching Mayawati’s Twitter account and managing her social media presence. He also addressed a joint rally of the Mahagathbandhan in Agra in April 2019, when Mayawati was banned from campaigning by the Election Commission of India for two days.

Akash’s elevation is seen as a sign of his rising influence and popularity in the BSP, as well as a strategic move by Mayawati to groom a young and dynamic leader for the future. Akash is expected to appeal to the youth and the educated sections of the society, as well as to carry forward the legacy of his aunt, who is widely respected as a champion of the Dalit and backward classes.

Akash’s appointment has also sparked speculation about Mayawati’s plans for the upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where the BSP is hoping to regain its lost ground. Akash is likely to play a key role in the party’s campaign and alliance-building, as well as in projecting a fresh and positive image of the BSP.

Akash Anand is undoubtedly one of the most promising and prominent faces of the BSP and the Indian politics. He has the potential to lead the party to new heights and to fulfill the aspirations of the millions of BSP supporters across the country. He is the rising star of BSP and Mayawati’s heir apparent.