The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Wednesday appointed Ishan Anand, younger nephew of party president Mayawati, as its new national coordinator, days after his elder brother Akash Anand was removed from all party responsibilities.
The decision was announced at a meeting of the BSP's national executive held at the party headquarters here and presided over by Mayawati, a four-time former Uttar Pradesh chief minister.
However, at the meeting, Mayawati maintained the BSP was committed to staying away from "dynastic politics" in line with principles laid down by party founder Kanshi Ram and ideologue BR Ambedkar.
Ishan Anand, who has completed his LLM and legal studies, was present at the meeting along with his father and BSP national vice-president Anand Kumar. Akash Anand, who has been relieved of all party responsibilities, was not seen at the meeting.
Ishan, in his address after his appointment, thanked Mayawati for entrusting him with the "big responsibility" of national coordinator and said he would discharge it with "full honesty and dedication".
He also invoked the legacy of B R Ambedkar and BSP founder Kanshi Ram and said he would work on the path shown by Mayawati, according to a BSP statement.
"She has entrusted me with the big responsibility of national coordinator in the Bahujan Samaj Party, which I will try my best to discharge with full honesty and dedication," Ishan said, assuring party workers that he would work to take forward the party's activities and would not disappoint them.
On the issue of "dynastic politics", Mayawati said the BSP had always remained free from it, claiming that its founder Kanshi Ram had laid down strict principles on the matter.
"He used to say that he had no personal family and that the entire Bahujan Samaj was his extended family," she said.
The objective, she added, was to transform the oppressed into a ruling class and enable them to live a life of self-respect and economic independence.
Mayawati said relatives and close family members could work in the party if they wished to do so, but "without any greed", adding, "He remained steadfast on this throughout his life and this is also my resolve."
Ishan Anand who arrived for the BSP meeting with his father and Mayawati's brother Anand Kumar was seen touching Mayawati's feet ahead of the meeting.
For a while both Anand and Ishan stood next to each other before Mayawati gestured that they flank her, ostensibly to indicate Ishan's rise in BSP, which is witnessing unprecedented electoral rout.
The party currently has no representation in Lok Sabha, UP Vidhan Sabha or Vidhan Parishad and its lone Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Suman's tenure is also about to end on November 25, 2026.
Ishan's appointment comes against the backdrop of a series of changes involving Mayawati's family in the BSP.
On September 3, Mayawati removed Akash Anand from the post of chief national coordinator, saying he needed greater maturity and that it would not be appropriate to entrust him with major responsibilities at that stage.
She also said Akash was being influenced by his father-in-law Ashok Siddharth, a former BSP Rajya Sabha MP who was expelled by Mayawati for alleged anti-party activities. A week later, she said Akash had been set "completely free" from the party.
At a press conference, she also accused her nephew of spreading rumours about her health while asserting that she was perfectly alright.
Ishan and Akash are the sons of Anand Kumar, Mayawati's younger brother and a BSP national vice-president, while their sister is Deepika Anand.
Mayawati had said earlier this month that neither Akash nor Ishan would be given any position in the party, but subsequently announced that Ishan would be given a "respectable role", while Akash and Deepika would remain away from party responsibilities.
(With inputs from PTI)
