By Pradeep Kapoor
LUCKNOW: BSP national President and former chief minister Mayawati once again brought back her nephew Akash Anand as national chief coordinator of the party. Much significance is being attached to high level meeting of party on May 18 when Mayawati created a new post of chief national coordinator and installed her nephew Akash Anand on this position.
So now Akash Anand is number two in BSP after Mayawati and he has been given power to take on the spot decision to strengthen the party. Mayawati had earlier appointed Akash Anand on number two position and declared him as her political heir too.
But Akash Anand was first removed when he launched attack on BJP at an election meeting and booked by the authorities for his speech. This act of Akash Anand embarrassed Mayawati who was not in a position to upset saffron brigade due to her own political calculations.
As a result, Mayawati not only removed Akash Anand from the party position but also from being her political heir. She announced that she would not make anybody as her political heir and devote her life to the mission.
Again Mayawati brought Akash Anand and gave him important position but he was again removed from the position for listening to his father Ashok Sidharth former MP and close associate of BSP supremo.
Mayawati charged Ashok Siddharth of promoting groupism in the party and removed him along with son-in-law Akash Anand. It would be worth mentioning that during last 11 years of Narendra Modi regime, there has been large-scale erosion of leaders and workers from BSP which was founded by late Kanshiram in 1984.
Significantly the vote share also came down from 22 per cent in 2014 to 10 percent in 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Now BSP has only one member in UP Assembly where party got the majority in 2007 on its own with more than 30 per cent vote share. Prior to this, Mayawati had become chief minister thrice with the help of BJP.
Now Mayawati wants Akash Anand with his large appeal in young generation to prevent erosion of workers to Chandra Shekhar Ravan MP in Western UP. It would be worth mentioning here that Bhim Army and Azad Samaj Party of Chandra Shekhar Ravan is gaining ground in West UP.
Another important task before Akash Anand is to prevent shifting of dalit votes toward Akhilesh Yadav and his Samajwadi Party. It may be mentioned Akhilesh Yadav got the benefit from his campaign to save the Constitution and demand for caste census. Samajwadi Party emerged as third largest group in Lok Sabha in 2024 Lok Sabha polls with 37 members.
Similarly Mayawati is worried the way BJP is poaching dalit support through constant dialogue with Members of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes especially non-jatav dalits.
Significantly Congress is also gaining dalit support with Rahul Gandhi seeking reservation in private sector and demanding the exceeding quota beyond the 50 per cent ceiling. Rahul Gandhi also succeeded in making inroad in dalits through series of conferences on protecting the Constitution and forcing Modi government to announce caste census.
The immediate task before Akash Anand is to mobilise the support and campaign in Bihar assembly polls where Party will contest all the seats. BSP will try to make it four cornered contest after NDA, INDIA alliance and Jan Suraj Party of Prashant Kishore.
All the three national coordinators will report to Akash Anand who will extensively tour the country and will take on the spot decisions to strengthen the party. Mayawati expects Akash Anand to encash his popularity in young generation of dalit community and large scale presence in social media. How Akash Anand succeeds in his mission to strengthen the party and stop poaching in vote share and mobilise support of young generation, that time will tell. (IPA Service)
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