Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has named her nephew Akash Anand, the party national coordinator, as her successor. The 28-year-old will be in charge of party's functionings in all over India except in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand where Mayawati herself will be in charge.
The crucial decision was taken at the party meeting held at Lucknow on Sunday.
BSP leader Udayveer Singh confirmed the news to the media. "Akash (Anand) has been declared the 'uttaradhikari (heir)' by Mayawatiji," Udayveer Singh, the party's Shahjahanpur district unit chief told reporters. "He (Anand) has been given the responsibility to strengthen the party organisation all over the country except Uttar Pradesh," Singh added.
However, the party's official statement made no mention any such decision.
For the last many months, speculations were rife that Anand would be the heir of the BSP chief, after he was given the charge of party’s affairs in Rajasthan ahead of the Assembly elections. The party's changing strategy was after the BSP, under his leadership, launched a 14-day "Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay’ Sankalp Yatra" in August.
(To be updated)
