Mayawati, the National President of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), has implemented significant changes within the party organization, appointing her nephew, Akash Anand, to the newly created position of National Coordinator. This role is considered the second most influential position after Mayawati herself, solidifying Akash Anand’s position as one of the most powerful leaders in the BSP. This move is seen as part of Mayawati’s strategy to strengthen the party for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and in other states. Along with this appointment, Mayawati has also appointed six National Coordinators and new state presidents in several states, aiming to provide new direction and energy to the organization.
Akash Anand, who previously held the role of National Coordinator, will now review the work of all sectors of the party, central and state coordinators, and state presidents as the National Coordinator. He will report directly to Mayawati, further strengthening his position within the organization. This position was specifically created for Akash, and it did not exist in the BSP before. This indicates that Mayawati is preparing Akash for future leadership.
To make the organization more effective, Mayawati has appointed six, instead of four, National Coordinators. They will all work under the leadership of Akash Anand and report to him. The new National Coordinators are Ramji Gautam (in charge of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Bihar), Rajaram (with Mohit Anand as assistant), Randhir Singh Beniwal, Lalji Medhankar, Atar Singh Rao (with Suresh Arya as assistant), and Dharamveer Singh Ashok (with Dayachand as assistant). These coordinators will divide the country into three zones and manage the party’s activities. This new structure is a significant step towards making the BSP more active and effective at the national level.
Mayawati has appointed new state presidents in several states, including Uttar Pradesh, to strengthen the party’s ground presence. Vishwanath Pal has once again been given the responsibility of the state president in Uttar Pradesh. The new state presidents appointed in other states include: Rajesh Tanwar (Delhi), Ramakant Pippal (Madhya Pradesh), Shyam Tandon (Chhattisgarh), Shankar Mahato (Bihar), Dr. Sunil Dongre (Maharashtra), M. Krishna Murthy (Karnataka), P. Anand (Tamil Nadu), Joy R. Thomas (Kerala), Krishan Jamarapur (Haryana), Avatar Singh Karipuri (Punjab), Prem Barupal (Rajasthan), Shiv Pujan Mehta (Jharkhand), Manoj Hawaldar (West Bengal), Saroj Kumar Nayak (Odisha), Bandela Gautam (Andhra Pradesh), Ibram Shekhar (Telangana), Bhagubhai Parmar (Gujarat), Vikram Singh Nayar (Himachal Pradesh), Darshan Rana (Jammu and Kashmir), Brijpal (Chandigarh), and Amarjeet Singh (Uttarakhand). These appointments send a message that the BSP is strengthening its presence in states where its position has been weak.
Akash Anand is the son of Mayawati’s younger brother, Anand Kumar, and holds an MBA degree from the University of Plymouth, London. He began his political career in 2016 with a rally in Saharanpur. In 2019, he was made a National Coordinator, and in December 2023, Mayawati declared him her successor. However, due to some controversial statements and a lack of maturity during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Mayawati removed him from the post of National Coordinator and successor. In June 2024, Mayawati reinstated Akash as National Coordinator and successor, but in March 2025, he was again removed due to the influence and controversies surrounding his father-in-law, Ashok Siddharth.
His return in May 2025 and his promotion to National Coordinator has infused new enthusiasm among party workers. Mayawati’s reshuffle has been done keeping in mind the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and elections in states like Bihar. The BSP’s performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was disappointing, as the party did not win a single seat in Uttar Pradesh, and its vote share dropped from 19.4% to 9.3%. This performance prompted Mayawati to make significant changes in the organization. Mayawati has decided to contest the elections alone in Bihar, which reflects the party’s independent strategy. She has instructed the workers to raise the issues of Dalits, minorities, and backward classes and to take the ideas of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar to the masses.
Akash Anand’s new role and giving an opportunity to young leadership is an important step in this direction. This organizational reshuffle by Mayawati is part of a strategy to give new energy to the BSP and perform better in the 2027 elections. It will be interesting to see how Akash Anand performs his new responsibilities as the National Coordinator and whether, under Mayawati’s leadership, he can restore the party to its former strength. This new structure and young leadership of the BSP can play an important role in determining the party’s direction in the future.
