Mayawati appoints younger nephew Ishan as national coordinator after removing Akash from party

Lucknow, The Bahujan Samaj Party 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.

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.

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.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.