Stories
Mayawati's BSP Succession Battle: Akash Anand Out, Deepika Anand In?
- •Mayawati's recent decisions have sparked a succession crisis within the BSP, raising questions about the party's future leadership.
- •Akash Anand has been removed from the BSP, his father-in-law forced to retire, and Mayawati has indicated niece Deepika Anand could take on the party's mission.
- •Mayawati publicly criticized Akash Anand, accusing him of acting on his father-in-law's advice, fueling speculation about her motives.
- •The BSP faces its worst electoral performance, failing to win any seats in the 2022 UP Assembly and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, intensifying the succession debate.
- •Many prominent leaders have left the BSP due to Mayawati's unpredictable style, and a senior leader suggests Akash Anand's removal is part of an internal succession battle.
Key Questions Answered
Mayawati expelled Akash Anand from the BSP because she alleged he was giving more importance to his family than the party, was working with a double mindset, and lacked clarity in his working style. She also publicly criticized him for acting on the advice of his father-in-law, Ashok Siddharth, rather than using his own judgment.
While Akash Anand and his younger brother Ishan Anand have been denied political roles by Mayawati, Ishan has recently been given organizational responsibilities. Additionally, Mayawati has indicated that her niece, Deepika Anand, could carry forward the party's mission, and her brother, Anand Kumar, remains another important family figure in the succession conversation.
The BSP suffered its worst electoral phase during these cycles. In the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, the party was reduced to just a single seat. In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the BSP failed to win any seats in Uttar Pradesh, leaving the party with no MLAs or MPs from the state.
