Mayawati Appoints Nephew Ishan Anand as BSP National Coordinator

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Wednesday appointed Ishan Anand, the 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 the BSP’s national executive meeting in Lucknow chaired by Mayawati, adding another significant turn to the party’s organisational restructuring ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Ishan, who has completed his LLM and legal studies, attended the meeting with his father Anand Kumar, Mayawati’s younger brother and BSP national vice-president. After his appointment, Ishan thanked Mayawati for entrusting him with the responsibility and pledged to discharge it with “full honesty and dedication”. He invoked the legacy of B.R. Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram, assuring party workers that he would work to strengthen the organisation and follow Mayawati’s direction.

The appointment follows a series of changes involving Mayawati’s family. On September 3, she removed Akash as chief national coordinator, saying he needed greater maturity and should not be entrusted with major responsibilities at that stage. She later announced that he had been completely separated from the party and accused him of spreading rumours about her health. Mayawati also cited the alleged influence of Akash’s father-in-law Ashok Siddharth, a former BSP Rajya Sabha MP expelled over alleged anti-party activities.

Mayawati simultaneously reiterated the BSP’s opposition to “dynastic politics”, invoking Kanshi Ram’s principle that relatives could work for the organisation without personal ambition. The issue has gained significance because Ishan and Akash are the sons of Anand Kumar, while their sister is Deepika Anand. Ishan, who has not contested an election, studied in the UK before returning to India.

The leadership changes come amid the BSP’s sharp electoral decline. Founded by Kanshi Ram in 1984, the party won 206 of 403 Assembly seats in 2007 under Mayawati. Its tally fell to 80 in 2012, 19 in 2017 and just one seat in 2022. In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the BSP won no seat.

The party currently has no Lok Sabha representation, while its lone Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Suman is due to complete his term on November 25, 2026. With Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for October 16, the BSP could lose its remaining parliamentary presence.

Against this backdrop, Mayawati has also asked the organisation to focus on Gen Z voters ahead of the 2027 polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab. Ishan’s elevation therefore comes as the BSP attempts to rebuild its organisation, broaden its younger voter outreach and regain electoral relevance.