Maya appoints nephew Akash Anand to head BSP’s poll prep in three states

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has entrusted her nephew and party’s national coordinator, Akash Anand, with the task of restructuring the organisation and gearing up the party cadre in states where elections are due, functionaries familiar with the matter said.

While the assembly polls in Gujarat are slated to be held at the end of the year, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh will go to polls in 2023.

“The assembly election in three states will be the launchpad for Akash in the electoral battle,” a BSP leader said, asking not to be named.

Mayawati had been grooming Anand ever since he returned from London in 2017 after pursuing his MBA, the leader added.

Anand was appointed as party’s national coordinator in 2019. He managed the party’s 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign strategy as well as the social media activities in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly election, the leader said.

“The BSP chief has decided to gear him for bigger responsibilities by entrusting him with the election responsibilities in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh,” a second party leader said, seeking anonymity.

Presently, Anand is on a whirlwind tour of Rajasthan, holding meetings in various districts. The party, which won six seats in the 2018 polls, is focusing on Jodhpur, Jaipur, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Sawai Madhopur, Nagaur, Ganganagar, Barmer, Sikar and Jhunjhunu districts which have a large presence of Dalit voters.